Somoff, Constantin Andrejewitsch

(12/1/1869 St. Petersburg-5/6/1939 Paris) (Russia); aka Ssomoff, Constantin / Somov, Konstantin / Somova, Konstantina

   Painter, book art designer, illustrator, and commercial artist. He studied at the art academy in St. Petersburg under V. Vereshchagin and P. Chist-yoakov and at the Academie Colarossi in Paris. The most significant artist of the World of Art Group. Best known for his landscapes, interiors, and portraits, his erotic work is in the style of Rococo erotica, mostly illustrations of erotic folk tales. Reproductions: Illustrations to Das Bilderbuch der Marquise; 1922; [10] etchings; Weiermair 1995: pp. 114-115 . Illustrations to Das Lesebuch der Marquise; 1908; Klinger, 1985c: figs. 31 -38 [B]. Kiss; c1907; Flegon, 1976: \#129 [B]. The kiss; Flegon, 1976: \#124 . Love dream; c1906; Flegon, 1976: \#128 [B]. Summer dream; 1906; Flegon, 1976: \#130 [B].

   [b]Source: Benezit, vol. 13: pp. 10-11; DoA vol. 29: pp. 61 -62; Gleb Ershov, "Erotischekii infantilizm Konstantina Somova," Dekorativnoe Iskusstvo (Russia) 7-8 (1992): pp. 36-40; ThB XXXI 1937: p. 427.