Artwork dossier: Memory by Sergey Solomko

Sergey Solomko, Memory (1910). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

Memory artwork fact sheet

Artist: Sergey Solomko originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/sergey-solomko/
Artist’s dates: 1867 – 1928
Painted: 1910
Medium: Watercolor
Movement: Symbolism Pictures where objects stand for ideas — a flower or a door meaning something beyond itself.
Period: 19th Century
Artistic style: Dreamlike, impressionistic, flattened style
Influences: Folklore, supernatural visitation
Notable elements or techniques: Soft colors, delicate lines, diffused light
Subject or theme: Encounter between an old man and a spirit

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Sergey Solomko died in 1928; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1998.

Memory — Sergey Solomko

When was this painted?

1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 61 at death.

Painted when the artist was 43. The artist lived to 61. 3 of the 11 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Sergey Solomko (1867–1928) ▲ this work, 1910 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1909 Main working years: 1909–1915 Late works: from 1915

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Priestess, 1915 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-priestess-8XZ23C-en/
Sketch of the poster. Pillory., 1916 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-sketch-of-the-poster-pillory-8XZ23D-en/
Blarney originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-blarney-8XZ23V-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Gray #8a7361

Catalogued palette

#8A7361
#E8E5E3
#4B3A2F
#A99F98

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Gray
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Balanced Harmony How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Bright How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Sergey Solomko over the last twelve months — 5 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 61.3%1,900 visits
2 Brazil 16.1%500 visits
3 Germany 12.9%400 visits
4 United States of America 6.5%200 visits
5 Singapore 3.2%100 visits

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 20 most looked-at works by Sergey Solomko

1 Dream of Icarus 17.1%600 visits
2 Nastassja Korolevichna 11.4%400 visits
3 Meeting 5.7%200 visits
4 Vive la France!, 1916 5.7%200 visits
5 Squash 5.7%200 visits
6 Parting 5.7%200 visits
7 Plate 'Egyptian Queen' 2.9%100 visits
8 Bacchus 2.9%100 visits
9 Returning from matins 2.9%100 visits
10 Visiting 2.9%100 visits
11 Pledge of Love 2.9%100 visits
12 Design of male medieval costume 2.9%100 visits
13 Evening Walk 2.9%100 visits
14 Blarney 2.9%100 visits
15 Proud 2.9%100 visits
16 The admired beauty 2.9%100 visits
17 Find 2.9%100 visits
18 Jokester 2.9%100 visits
19 Seducer 2.9%100 visits
— Memory, 1910 this painting 0.0%0 visits

Together these works take 89.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 119 works by this artist, of which 23 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Memory — Sergey Solomko

Identification of Memory by Sergey Solomko

The scene unfolds within the work titled Memory, a creation by the artist Sergey Solomko. This piece emerges from 1910, a moment when the artist's hand captures a sense of ethereal presence. The image holds a quiet weight, as if a single breath has been suspended in time. It invites a sense of wonder regarding the figures that inhabit its soft, dreamlike space.

Sergey Solomko brings his unique vision to this composition, drawing from a life that began in 1867 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His origins in this city shape the very essence of his perspective. The work exists as a window into a world of soft light and subtle shadows. It carries the unmistakable touch of a creator who understands the delicate balance between the seen and the unseen.

Visual Composition and Subject Matter

A seated elderly man, his long white beard catching the light, anchors the scene. Beside him, a young woman appears almost translucent, a spectral presence drifting near the edge of a quiet body of water. The vertical composition draws the eye upward from the figures toward a backdrop of trees and a vast sky. A large, glowing sun hangs in the distance, casting a bright reflection across the surface of the water that seems to bridge the gap between the physical and the ethereal.

The encounter between the old man and this ghostly figure suggests a quiet moment of supernatural visitation. One wonders if she is a spirit guide or a manifestation of the past. This meeting hints at deep themes of mortality and the weight of wisdom. The stillness of the water and the soft light create a sense of intimacy, as if the viewer has stumbled upon a private moment between the living and the remembered.

Artistic Style and Visual Qualities

The scene unfolds through a style that leans toward Romanticism or Symbolism, where the atmosphere carries more weight than strict realism. Every line flows in gentle, organic curves, tracing the edges of the trees and the soft contours of the figures. This rhythmic movement creates a dreamlike quality that pulls the viewer into a quiet, suspended moment. The technique appears to be watercolor or gouache on paper, lending a delicate, painted texture to the entire composition. It feels as though the image is a fragment of a half-remembered dream, preserved through soft brushstrokes and a gentle blending of forms.

Light behaves with a soft, diffused quality in this work. It emanates from the large, glowing sun, casting a warm and even radiance across the landscape. This light does not create harsh shadows but instead bathes the figures and the water in a subtle, pearlescent glow. The colors remain muted and carefully blended, working together to maintain a harmonious and slightly melancholic mood. There is a sense of stillness here, as if the air itself is heavy with the weight of the encounter.

A faded quality permeates the surface, consistent with the age of the piece. This patina adds a layer of nostalgic charm, as if the colors have softened through decades of quiet observation. The shallow perspective keeps the focus intimate, drawing the eye toward the interaction between the elderly man and the spectral woman. Every element, from the organic shapes of the background to the translucent quality of the female figure, contributes to a sense of profound mystery and quietude.

Artist

Sergey Solomko

Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia

Sergey Solomko: Life and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Born: August 22, 1867, in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Sergey Sergeyevich Solomko was the son of Colonel (later Major-General) Sergey Solomko, who served under Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich. He grew up within the Konstantinovsky Palace, providing early exposure to aristocratic life and culture.

Education: From 1883 to 1887, he attended the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He later audited classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts for a year.

Early Career as an Illustrator

Solomko began his career as a magazine illustrator around 1888, contributing to publications like Север (North), a weekly literary journal.

Key Publications: He quickly gained employment with Нива (Grainfield), Russia’s most popular magazine at the time. He also worked for Мир искусства (World of Art) and the satirical journal Шут (The Fool).

He illustrated works by prominent Russian authors such as Pushkin, Chekhov, and Lermontov.

Artistic Development and Diverse Projects

Illustrative Work: In 1901, Solomko illustrated a special edition of Gogol’s Dead Souls, published by Adolf Marks.

Design Versatility: After 1900, he expanded his design work to include theater posters and a popular series of postcards depicting Old Russia, published by Maison Lapine in Paris.

Imperial Commissions: He created models for the Imperial Porcelain Factory and collaborated with the House of Fabergé. In 1903, he designed elaborate historical costumes for the famous ball at the Winter Palace, some adorned with real jewelry.

Parisian Period and World War I

Move to Paris: In 1910, Solomko moved to Paris but continued to exhibit in Russia and contribute to Russian magazines.

War Work: During World War I, he painted portraits of officers from the Russian Expeditionary Force in France under commission by a government committee dedicated to collecting war trophies.

Post-Revolutionary Life and Exile

Political Shift: After the Russian Revolution, Solomko fell out of favor with the new Soviet government and became a self-imposed exile.

Continued Artistic Work: He created costumes for renowned dancers Mathilde Kschessinska and Anna Pavlova. He also illustrated books by French authors like Émile Gebhart, Ernest Renan, and Albert Samain.

Exile Activities: In 1921, he participated in an exhibition of exiled artists from the former Imperial Academy of Arts. Later, he helped establish the “Russian Art and Industry Institute.”

Death and Legacy

Final Years: Solomko died on February 2, 1928, while convalescing at the “Maison Russe,” a retirement home for White émigrés near Paris.

Historical Significance: During the Soviet period, his work was criticized as decadent and bourgeois. However, interest in Solomko’s art revived in the 1990s. His detailed and accurate depictions of Old Russian culture are highly valued today.

His legacy lies in his ability to capture a vanishing world with remarkable detail and artistry.

Sergey Solomko study guide: keep exploring

The artist Sergey Solomko originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/sergey-solomko/
Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/
Article Russian artworks of the 1910s originaluniqueart.com/en/articles/mfp-top10versus-russian-artworks-of-the-1910s-en/
Article Wisdom in White: Decoding the Texture and Symbolism of Rembrandt’s White Beards originaluniqueart.com/en/articles/mfp-misc-wisdom-in-white-decoding-the-texture-and-symbolism-of-rembrandts-white-beards-en/
Article Romantic Realism: The Masterful Fusion of Raw Emotion and Hyper-Realistic Detail for the Modern Collector originaluniqueart.com/en/articles/bpa-misc-romantic-realism-the-masterful-fusion-of-raw-emotion-and-hyper-realistic-detail-for-the-modern-collector-en/
Article Romantic Realism's Finest: 10 Masterpieces for Your Home originaluniqueart.com/en/articles/romantic-realism-s-finest-10-masterpieces-for-your-home-en/

Study it on your own wall: Memory by Sergey Solomko as a hand-painted oil edition, made to your size

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Memory

originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/

Citing this artwork: Memory

MLA: Solomko, Sergey. Memory. 1910, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/
APA: Solomko, Sergey (1910). Memory [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/
Chicago: Sergey Solomko. Memory. 1910. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/
Harvard: Solomko, Sergey (1910) Memory. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/sergey-solomko-memory-8XZ237-en/

Memory — Sergey Solomko

How well do you know this artwork?

Tick one answer for each of the 5 questions below. Each has exactly one correct answer.

1. In what year was the artwork 'Memory' created?
- A 1901
- B 1910
- C 1915
2. What is the primary medium/technique suggested by the texture of the artwork?
- A Oil on canvas
- B Watercolor or gouache
- C Acrylic on wood
3. Which artist painted 'Memory'?
- A Sergey Solomko
- B Pushkin
- C Chekhov
4. Where was the artist Sergey Solomko born?
- A Paris
- B Moscow
- C Saint Petersburg
5. What is the orientation of the composition in 'Memory'?
- A Horizontally oriented
- B Vertically oriented
- C Square oriented

My score: ____ out of 5

Answer key — for the teacher

This starts a fresh printed page, so it can simply be left out of the copies.

1B · 2B · 3A · 4C · 5B

Check any answer against the catalogue record for this painting

Memory — Sergey Solomko

Close-looking art worksheet on Memory, for students and researchers

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 2 — do you agree?)
Our catalogue files this work under: ethereal figure, spectral woman, old man wisdom. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at Priestess (1915), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

Can I watch "Memory" as a full-screen slideshow?

"Memory" by Sergey Solomko can be viewed as a slideshow on the artwork's Diaporama page.

What palette and what feeling does "Memory" combine?

"Memory" by Sergey Solomko combines an earthy palette with an ethereal tone.

What medium is "Memory" by Sergey Solomko executed in?

The medium of "Memory" by Sergey Solomko is watercolor. Reproductions aim to render the appearance of this technique.

Where can I download "Memory" by Sergey Solomko?

"Memory" by Sergey Solomko can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page, as a high-resolution digital image download.

Where is the portrait format of "Memory" recommended to be displayed?

Format (portrait) and recommended space (bedroom) are the two placement facts recorded for "Memory" by Sergey Solomko.

All the questions and answers about Memory