The Boxer (1932–1933) is an evocative oil painting by Russian émigré artist Konstantin Somov, depicting Boris Snezhkovsky, a young man who became both a muse and personal companion to the artist throughout the 1930s. The work is a masterful combination of intimate portraiture and quiet still life, created during Somov’s Parisian exile following his departure from Russia in 1923. Snezhkovsky—nicknamed “Daphnis” by Somov after modeling for his Daphnis and Chloe illustrations—was just 19 when he first posed for the artist, and their collaboration endured for many years.
