Valentin Serov (1865 - 1911) was a master painter and draughtsman who is widely celebrated as the premier portrait artist of his generation in late 19th and early 20th-century Russia. Born in St. Petersburg into a highly creative household - his father was the renowned composer Alexander Serov and his mother was a progressive musician - he grew up surrounded by the leading intellectual and artistic figures of the era. His exceptional talent blossomed early under the mentorship of the legendary realist painter Ilya Repin, with whom he lived and studied, before completing his formal education at the Imperial Academy of Arts under Pavel Chistyakov. Serov's early career was defined by a luminous, spontaneous approach that effectively introduced French Impressionism to the Russian art scene. His iconic 1887 masterpiece, Girl with Peaches, captured a vibrant, sunlit freshness that became a milestone in Russian art history. As his style evolved, he became the ultimate chronicler of the Belle Époque, sought after by the highest echelons of society, including prominent cultural icons, wealthy industrialists, and members of the imperial Romanov family. Despite his high-profile clientele, Serov was famously reserved and uncompromising; his portraits were never mere flatteries, but rather profound, psychological explorations that captured the absolute honesty, vulnerability, or pride of his sitters. Later in life, his style shifted toward simpler, graphic lines and symbolism, cementing his legacy as a versatile genius at the crossroads of realism and modernism. This richly illustrated monograph presents the life and work of the Russian painter Valentin Serov (1865?1911), one of the key figures in late 19th- and early 20th-century Russian art. The book includes an introductory essay and curated selection by Dmitry V. Sarabyanov, combined with a catalogue and biographical outline compiled by Grigory S. Arbuzov. Serov?s artistic evolution is traced through his portraits, landscapes, and mythological compositions, highlighting his role in bridging realist traditions and emerging modernist tendencies in Russian painting. Particular attention is given to his membership in the Peredvizhniki (Wanderers) and his later association with the World of Art movement, which influenced the development of Russian visual culture. This 1987 Aurora Art Publishers edition is part of a well-known series of Soviet art monographs aimed at presenting Russian artistic heritage to an international audience. It is widely catalogued in library systems and appears in English-language export editions of Soviet art publications. (AI-generated content description)