Monday, October 22, 2012

With Daughters

Zinaida Serebriakova  "Self Portrait with Daughters"  1921 

The Russian painter Zinaida Serebriakova (1884-1967) painted this self-portrait posed with her daughters Ekatarina and Tatiana about two years after the death of her husband Boris from typhus. Shortly after completing this piece, now in the collection of the Rybinsk History and Art Museum, times would become so difficult for Serebryakova that she would be forced to give up oil painting, unable to afford the necessary materials and finding it difficult to sell her work during this period of Russian Civil War

In 1924 she traveled to Paris where she had obtained a large commission, and then found herself unable to return to Russia. Her mother took care of her four children back in Moscow. At some point Serebryakova managed to get the two younger children out of the country to join her in France, but she was unable to secure the necessary permissions for the two oldest, who remained in Russia. It was not until 1960 that Serebryakova was reunited with her oldest daughter Tatiana Borisovna Serebriakova (1912-1989.)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

How are you finding all these exciting paintings! Every time I click on it 'makes my day' === truly! Wouldn't these women of the past be thrilled to know that they're part of such an inclusive project! Thanks, Nancy.
Mara Buck

Anonymous said...

This is my first introduction to Serebriakova, and what an ouput! Fascinating and tons of portraits. Thanks and congrats on your blog. Janet S.

Nancy Bea Miller said...

You are very welcome...I love doing the research. Great excuse to buy lots and lots of books (not everything is on the internet...YET!) I'm so glad you are enjoying my project!

Quilter's Diary said...

Losing two of your children -- that's a real heart breaker.