Yelena Polenov (1850-1898)

E. Polenov (sister of the artist VDPolenov ) studied painting in St. Petersburg under Pavel Chistyakov, then have I. N. Archaeology at the Drawing School of the OPH (from 1864), in Paris in the studio of S. Shapley (1869 - 70).

Since the beginning of 1880. Polenova lives in Moscow and is a Mamontovsky circle - close and active group of creative artists, cohesive energy and amateur arts patron Savva Mamontov. In his Moscow home, and even more in the estate near Moscow Abramtzevo staged performances to paint portraits of members of the circle are matured major shift from narrative realism of the second half of the XIX century. to the new artistic trends turn of the century.

Polenov attracted to painting, along with the traditional genre scenes, historical themes ("The icon painter of the XVI century", 1887, "before the killing of Knyaz Boris", ca. 1896). In the vicinity of Abramtseva she wrote watercolor landscapes, preferring enclosed, intimate corners of nature and detail designing weave grasses and foreground colors ("color", "Corner of the forest", "Landscape. Abramtzevo" all 1882-83, "Daisies", 1883, etc.).

Ornate watercolors by the artist illustrated the Russian folk tales ("War of mushrooms", 1889), graced the pages outlandish ornaments and wrote out an old handwriting text. The spatial mild manners, it goes to a plane with a clear outline and bright color shading ("Sonny-Filipko", "Firebird", 1890).

In 1883 Mamontovskoye mug set-tale opera "Snow Maiden" and Polenova had dressed performers in authentic imported from Tula province, peasant costumes. Passion for folk art led her from a simple gathering to attempt to revive fading crafts.
in 1885 to Abramtzevo carpentry workshops were organized where local farmers did utensils and furniture from drawings Polenova and other artists, in turn, created on the basis of people's motives. In the same style the artist made ​​sketches for embroidery, wallpaper and other decorative items. Taste of time gave these sketches a few mannered sectional decoration, which has become the basis of Russian national version of Art Nouveau, the formation of which is undoubtedly due to the activities Polenova.