Konstantin Somov

Konstantin Andreyevich Somov (Russian: Константин Андреевич Сомов, November 30, 1869 — May 6, 1939) was a Russian artist associated with the Mir iskusstva. Born into a family of a major art historian and Hermitage Museum curator, he became interested in the 18th century art and music at an early age. Somov studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts under Ilya Repin from 1888 to 1897. While at the Academy, he befriended Alexandre Benois, who would introduce him to Sergei Diaghilev and Leon Bakst. When the three founded the World of Art, Somov liberally contributed to its periodicals. Somov was homosexual, like many of the World of Art members. Inspired by Watteau and Fragonard, he preferred to work with watercolours and gouache. For three...