Zinaida Yevgenyevna Serebriakova (née Lanceray) was a Ukrainian/Russian painter active in the early 20th century.

Born near what is now Kharkiv, Ukraine into a well-to-do family, she studied at an art school under the direction of Ilya Repin, and went on to study with noted portraitist Osip Braz. She also traveled to Italy and Paris, studying at museums where possible.

Her work over time carried elements of Realism, Impressionism, Art Nouveau and Expressionism. Her subjects included landscape, still life and figures, but her primary interest was portraiture. In addition to portraits both formal and informal, she frequently painted and drew her children and created several self-portraits, the most famous of which (image above, top) helped establish her career.

She also found dancers of particular interest, featuring them in many compositions, as well as her own daughter in dancers garb from her classes (above, bottom).

Serebriakova worked in oil, water media and pastel. Some of her pastels of dancers have a Degas-like character.

After a tragic period following her husband’s sudden death, the rise of the Soviet Union and the closing of its borders left her in France, unable to return, and separated her from her two eldest children for a number of years. She eventually took French citizenship, residing in Paris for the remainder of her life. She traveled extensively and a number of her works are from her travels in Morocco and North Africa.

[Suggestion courtesy of Eric kelly]

American Masters is a yearly exhibit organized by the Salmagundi Club in NYC. I’m remiss in not mentioning this year’s earlier as it ends on October 24, 2014.

For those who can’t see the exhibit in person, there is a nice selection of the work online. I’ve pulled out a sampling for the images here.

(Images above, links to my posts where available: James Gurney, Thomas Torak, Nancy Guzik, Eric Bowman, Robert Lemler, Charles Yoder, Thomas Kegler, Quang Ho, Burton Silverman, Sherrie McGraw, Kathryn Stats, Jeff Weaver)

Joseph Noel Paton was a Scottish painter associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement. He became friends with Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood co-founder John Everett Millais while they were students at the Royal Academy. Though he declined an offer to formally join the Pre-Raphaelites, Paton’s early work, in particular, shows their influence.

Paton’s early literary, historical and religious subjects were in keeping with the literary nature of many Pre-Raphaelite works. He is best known for his monumental fairy subjects, most notably The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania (above, top, with detail) and several related paintings.

In his later work, Paton found success with religious subjects that eventually leaned toward the sentimental.