Description of the picture:
Girl with Peaches – Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov. 1887. Oil on canvas. 85×91
Picture ""Girl with Peaches"" was created in 1887 by V. Serov and is one of his most significant paintings. Original name was ""Portrait of V.M.""where V.M. denotes Verochka Mamontova, who was the daughter of the famous industrialist S. Mamontov and often saw the artist in Abramtsevo, in the estate, where the picture was painted.
In the future, the name was changed, since the picture did not really turn out to be a portrait of a particular girl, but a real generalized image of youth itself – a funny mischievous girl, sitting down for a moment at the table. The girl has expressive eyes with a sparkling dancing inside, as if she was planning some new trick. Her posture itself shows how difficult it is for her to sit at the table for even a short time, how she wants to break loose and run away to play in the garden. The chill background of the picture and the strict decor of the room contrasts with a pink blouse and a red bow, is set off by the girl’s swarthy face, her dark eyes. The whole room is imbued with sunshine, which is emphasized by the soft tones of peaches and leaves, already a yellowing tree outside the window. A gentle blush plays on the cheeks of the girl and harmonizes with peaches that are nearby.
The heroine’s cheerfulness is shown in light, joyful tones, and the sensation of her purity and tenderness is enhanced by the colors of a white tablecloth, a brightly sparkling silver knife. These individual elements are combined into a single whole in the picture, enriching the image. As immediately after its creation, and now, many years later, this work amazes the viewer with its freshness, lightness, warmth and joy."