Description of the picture:
The capture of the snowy town – Vasily Surikov. 1891. Oil on canvas. 156×282
Vasily Ivanovich Surikov (1848-1916) – an outstanding master of historical painting of the second half of the XIX century. An intuitive sense of history, a deep knowledge of antiquity and the powerful energy of painting brought him to the path of high creativity. Having created his famous trilogy of historical paintings dedicated to the XVII-XVIII centuries, Surikov became venerated throughout Russia.
The painting “The capture of the snowy town” written by the artist in his hometown of Krasnoyarsk, where he left Moscow, heavily surviving the death of his beloved wife, Elizabeth Share. Here the painter came to life again, carried away by the traditions of the region and the events of local history. The artist embodied his ideas about the nature of the Cossacks, the folk life of Siberia.
Surikov, who had Cossack roots in the family, was close to the local customs and fun of festivities. The composition of the picture is dynamic, full of movement, the viewer is as if involved in a universal action, feels the frosty air and snow scattering on the sides.
In a comic capture of the snow fortress, the artist portrayed the youthful enthusiasm of a distant rider overcoming an obstacle. The ruddy, joyful faces of the Siberians looking at this sight are full of life force. In a sleigh, the artist’s brother, Alexander, is facing the viewer.
For this canvas Surikov received a silver medal at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900."