Konstantin Andreevich Somov, 1869-1939

Konstantin Somov, a member of the Mir Iskusstva art movement, was fascinated by the world of the theatre, for its use of disguise and often faintly concealed erotica.  A designer and illustrator of books, his finely executed drawings and illustrations, such as the offered lot, also work as compositions in their own right, albeit small in scale.  Emphasis is on detail and precision of execution.  Harlequin appears in many of the artist’s works, as do carnival scenes with masked revellers dressed in 18^th century Venetian costume.