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1878–1911 · Virkested

Moscow

summer 1888

“The Girl Illuminated by the Sun” is bought by Tretyakov

In the summer of 1888 at Vladimir Derviz’s estate of Domotkanovo Serov painted “The Girl Illuminated by the Sun”, a portrait of his cousin Maria Simonovich; Pavel Tretyakov bought the painting for 300 roubles.

December 1888

The Moscow Society prize for “Girl with Peaches”

At the competition of the Moscow Society of Art Lovers “Girl with Peaches” (shown as “Portrait of V. M.”) won the only prize in the portrait category, 200 roubles. There “The Overgrown Pond”, shown as “Twilight”, lost out to Levitan’s landscapes but was bought by the Yakunchikovs.

1889 · Virkested

Paris

29 January 1889

Marries Olga Trubnikova

On 29 January 1889 in the Semyonovsky Regiment cathedral in St. Petersburg Serov married Olga Trubnikova; he asked Sergei Mamontov to be best man and invited Repin to be a witness.

October 1889

A quarrel with Repin over the Dragomirova portrait

Serov painted a portrait of the eighteen-year-old Sofya Dragomirova in Repin’s studio alongside his teacher and left for Moscow before finishing it; Repin, handing the work over to the sitter, added a few strokes to the costume and accessories. Serov was so incensed by the interference that he sent his former teacher a sharp letter that for a time clouded their relations.