"Serovs Alexander Nikolaevich and Valentin Alexandrovich"

Apollo (HL) No. 1, 1915

Serovs, Alexander Nikolaevich and Valentin Aleksandrovich

Memories of V.S.Serova. Appendix of selected articles by A.N. Serov. Ed. "Shipownik", SPB.1914.C. 2 p. 25 k.

Serov’s posthumous exhibition and its success showed the persistent attention of Russian artistic circles to Serov’s achievements. The book was published almost at the same time as the opening of the exhibition. This suggests that one of its goals was the satisfaction of the natural desire of all who are passionate about the artist’s work, to learn the life and life of Serov. Unfortunately,  “Memories” in a very limited amount satisfy this desire. However, for such modest gifts as this, Russian art history should be grateful to their authors. Memories  I.E. Repin, the memoirs of V.S. Serova, the monographs of I.E. Grabar and N.E. Radlov – all this does not make us distinguish Serov, as a pamper of fate, from a number of Russian artists, whose biographies in most cases do not even have such a meager supply of sources? Memories of V.S. Serova relate mainly to the early youth of the artist. In such an important period in the development of Serov, as  "Domotcan" as soon as  "a cursory essay" (according to the author himself, page 220), and then, up to the death of the artist - a gap.

Thus, the present book   and c r and c c and c  It is important as a material only in the study of the first children's and vague formations of the Serov appearance. I want to believe that  "Memories of V.S. Serova"  will be the beginning, the beginning  for a number of others, covering the next, more significant stages of the creative growth of the artist. I think it is unnecessary to point out that those who have come in close contact with the artist, who know about him, is knowledge.   I'd rather not.  (especially obliges that now with certainty determined the important historical significance of Serov), obliges to make his information in the public domain.

The book contains several pictures from Serov’s works. Not badly reproduced (how good is the whole appearance of the book), they, however, seem to us little to correspond to the spirit itself.  “Memories” are very personal, but sincere, often capturing only a minute and an occasion, but capturing simply and figuratively, because they sometimes give a precious line to the understanding of the spiritual image of the artist. Why is there such a well-known youth self-portrait or  “Girl with peaches”, or a pencil portrait of P.P. Chistyakov? Next to the story of the artist’s childhood, I would like to see several similarly ingenious and quick sketches of Serov himself (at least even of the childhood period), and not at all reproductions of the famous and thus seem to have become   "official" creations of the artist.