The portrait depicts the impressionist artist Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin (1861–1939), Serov’s close friend and at the same time his opposite in terms of artistic temperament. For Serov, each work was an occasion for deep analysis, painful search, whereas for Korovin everything was as easy as a study, inclined as he was towards improvisation. Serov stylises Korovin's impulsive impressionist manner, overemphasising it with good-natured irony. At the same time, he admires juicy colourful dabs, typical of Korovin's painting, its bright decorative value, an example of which can be seen in the striped cushion depicted by the author. The lightly-coloured walls of Korovin's studio feature quick studies from nature. By demonstrating to the viewer Korovin's painting-box, which always surprised his friends with its disorder, Serov admires his skill of creating harmony out of chaos. Korovin's relaxed posture contrasts with his tense focused look. This is how Serov emphasised his friend's keen artistic eye, which helped him create colour and rhythm relations in paintings with ease. Serov directs the viewer's attention particularly to the subject's right hand, bringing its movement down to a professional gesture of an artist that is used to holding a brush.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow