Paul Chmaroff (1874–1950) *the Naiads*, Oil On Canvas, Dated 48

Oil painting on canvas by Paul Chmaroff (1874–1950), signed lower left and dated '48 depicting bathers rendered in a distinctly Impressionist style; the space is filled with sunlight, making the nude bodies shimmer with touches of pink and cadmium yellow in perfect harmony with the summer landscape. This scene is part of the Western tradition of bathers—female figures which often bring the artist to mind: the roussalki, ondines, and water nymphs of Slavic mythology. The work is presented in a Montparnasse frame made of carved wood with a gold-leaf patina. In good overall condition; dimensions: 90 cm × 75 cm / visible area: 65 cm × 50 cm

Paul CHMAROFF (1874–1954) was a student of Ilya RÉPINE (1844–1930), who admired his young pupil’s talent and “the warmth, unity, softness, and plasticity of his sketches.” What struck his contemporaries most was his mastery of color.In 1900, he set out on a tour of Europe, traveling through Vienna, Rome, Florence, Venice, and Munich, then studied under Jean-Paul LAURENS (1838–1921), before traveling on to Spain with KOUSTODIEV (1878–1927). A portraitist of the imperial family and the high nobility, Chmaroff also devoted himself to genre painting, particularly battle scenes. The revolution forced him to leave Russia and settle in France in 1923. His Parisian period is marked by a light touch and great virtuosity as a colorist, in which one can sense the influence of Renoir. In his subject matter, he remained deeply Russian, depicting the joyful image of an idyllic countryside or young girls by the water’s edge. It is worth noting that the painter used several versions of his signature on his canvases (Chmaroff, P. Chmaroff, Schmarov, Shmarov). The two paintings we present here are the perfect illustration of this mastery of color, which suggests forms and seems to capture, if only for a moment, the elusive rhythm of life.