Biography

Born in St Petersburg to a highly artistic family, Valentin Serov was one of the most outstanding portrait painters of the nineteenth century. He was highly educated and studied in Paris, Moscow and St Petersburg. Significant influences on his style included the naturalism of the Russian painter Ilya Repin, the French Impressionist technique and the Old Master paintings he encountered in Russian and European museums. Serov was noted for his broad handling and spontaneous approach, as well as his ability to convey the psychological aspects of his subjects.