Konstantin Ivanovich Gorbatov (1876-1945) artist, illustrator, professor of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

A native of the Samara province, from his early youth he deeply and tenderly loved the majestic beauty of his native land. In 1896, he set off on the first of many journeys that would fill his biography. His path led to the Riga Polytechnic, where the young man would learn the science of urban planning. At the same time, the future master perfected his painting skills, acquired while being a student of the skilled Samara artist Burov. To do this, he visited the Riga studio of master Clark. It was here (in our humble opinion) that he took his very first, rather timid steps towards an independent understanding of the impressionist style, which was gaining popularity in Europe at that time.

Gorbatov’s works were popular in Germany, and compared to Russian White émigrés, he lived quite prosperously. But with the Nazis coming to power, the Third Reich style began to prevail in art and Gorbatov’s works ceased to be popular in Germany.

By the end of the war, the Gorbatovs lived in terrible poverty, Konstantin Ivanovich himself was ill. He died in Berlin on May 24, 1945, his wife committed suicide on June 17, 1945.

In 1960, the archive and surviving works of Konstantin Ivanovich Gorbatov, previously taken to the USSR, were transferred for storage to the Historical, Architectural and Art Museum “New Jerusalem” in Istra.