She was born 7 Jan 1874 (26 Dec 1873) in Moscow in the family of a nobleman, lawyer, attorney Vladimir Alexandrovich Alexandrov of the Pan. The kind father was from the Ukraine and one of his ancestors was the famous philosopher and poet Skovoroda. Therefore, in some bibliographical references Elena Aleksandrova is listed as-Pan. Mother Lyubov Feodorovna after her divorce settled in the Crimea, where often came Elena.
In 1895 young, full of energy and creative plans, she entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where at that time studying Viktor Borisov-Musatov, which for many years they will bind friendships.
Within the walls of the Moscow school of painting formed the circle of innovators and associates, where he conducted interviews and heated debate, the participants of which were Musatov Victor and Sasha, the friends affectionately called Elena Vladimirovna. After graduation Musatov plans to continue training in France and offers Elena Vladimirovna to go to Paris together, and received consent. But in Paris he goes to study one. Elena went to school in Munich Anton Ashbe where he studied from 1898 to 1902. After returning from Paris, their paths cross again and they're not breaking up.
In the spring of 1903 they were married. Elena Musatov was not just a wife, she was a friend, a companion, a Muse. The image we see in many works of her husband. This watercolor portrait in which the artist tenderly, with great love portrayed his wife (Portrait of E. V. Alexandrova, 1902, watercolor on Paper, State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg), and "toilet", and "Requiem" (1905. Paper, watercolor. The state Tretyakov gallery, Moscow), and "Dream of deity" (sketch of a panel of 1904-1905. Paper, watercolor, pencil. The state Tretyakov gallery), and of course "Pond" (1902. Tempera on canvas. The state Tretyakov gallery), the first monumental work of Musatov that will go down in the history of painting as one of the greatest of his creations. The work was written in Zubrilovka, the estate of the princes Golitsyn-Prozorovsky where Musatov spent the summer of 1902 with his sister Elena and the bride.
Elena not only inspired Musatov on the creation of his work, but also helped to give them names, so "Emerald necklace", "Ghosts", "the Park is immersed in the shadow," "Dream of deity", all these names were given to it. In December 1904 in the family Mostovych daughter, Mariana, who, in the footsteps of their parents. Graduate from the Leningrad art-industrial school. Will book schedule. Live to 1991.
1905 will be fatal not only for Russia... In October will be burned Zubrilovka. A few days will not be Borisov-Musatov. After her husband's death Elena Vladimirovna, with the support of Mikhail Bukinik, Pavel Kuznetsov, Peter Utkin and Nikolai Ulyanov organized a posthumous exhibition, which Tretyakov gallery has acquired a "Ghost", the "Emerald necklace," etude "Autumn song," "Wind" and some sketches for "the Requiem." The "Requiem" Elena refused to sell. Only a few years, when the work almost died while sailing on the Black sea, she gave "Requiem" as a gift to the Tretyakov gallery.
According to the memoirs of sister V. E. Borisov-Musatov Helena Elpidiphoros:
"Elena... loved the painting, but painted in a different genre — I prefer landscapes, decayed places in the woods, or anywhere near the river, sometimes painted portraits. In relation to the brother she knew very well and felt the desire to be creative, and always tried to carefully maintain his changing mental moods". E. E. Borisov-Musatov. (My memories about the artist V. E. Borisov-Musatov).
Elena was the participant of exhibitions of the Moscow Association of Artists, New society of artists, 8th the exhibition of paintings of magazine "world of art", art-industrial exhibitions.
Unfortunately, almost all the works of Elena Alexandrova died in the civil war in the Crimea, where she had spent the rest of his life and was buried in February 1921. Survived only a small part of the work on which we can judge her work. Work E. Alexandrova stored in the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), the museums of Omsk, Alma-ATA, in the collection of the Saratov state art Museum named after A. N. Radishchev stored work presumably brush E. Alexandrova.
(Source: the Saratov state art Museum named after A. N. Radishcheva)
