I’m not someone who necessarily seeks out painted works, but when I see a style that captivates my heart, I can’t help but fall in love. Serge Marshennikov’s pieces are like that – easy to fall desperately in love with. From the color palette to the subject matter, his dreamy paintings keep me staring endlessly.
Born in Ufa (USSR) in 1971 and trained in St. Petersburg at The Repin, a prestigious fine art academy, Marshennikov’s compositions are classic and moody with a focus on the female form. His oil paintings reveal expert realism, made exceptionally clear when you consider the skill with which he’s mimicked the folds of fabric and the uneven, translucence of skin. He’s tricked our eye into thinking each piece of wrinkled linen is shadowed just so, while each strand of hair cascades around the ear as if you’ve put it there. There are shadows of sleeplessness around the subjects’ eyes and the ruddy nature of cheeks and reddened soles of feet tell you it’s a photograph. Precisely what I thought when I first saw Serge’s work.
As I’m not much of a nudes person, the above image is one of my favorites of all his pieces. The hues of the subdued blue are stunning, the framing of the woman’s face is perfection, and I love the golden texture to the background wall. It reminds me a little of Girl with a Pearl Earring, the epic Vermeer work that I once saw in person and left me stunned. Imagine how beautiful this piece would look hung up on a wall, as was intended!
Of course, I forgot to mention, each of Serge Marshennikov’s paintings starts at around $30,000. So while a signed oil painting might be out of reach, you can always follow him here on Instagram and see all of his newest work for the cost of a follow. It’s a pretty good consolation prize, given these days we spend less time staring at our walls and more time on our phones anyway!
Be sure to check out Serge Marshennikov’s Tumblr and Facebook page. And if you want to know about upcoming shows, see works for sale, and read more about Serge, visit his Artsy page! What kind of art do you find yourself drawn to? Share with me below!
Image courtesy of Serge Marshennikov’s Tumblr.
