(1842-1904) - great Russian artist. Best known as a battle painter. During his life, he painted many real masterpieces of painting, among which: Napoleon in Russia, Attack by surprise, In the Turkish mortuary, Go to the zindan in Samarkand, Triumph, After failure, Timur's Doors and many others. most famous work Vereshchagin, which can be called " calling card"artist, is the painting "The Apotheosis of War".
Apotheosis of war
Painting " Apotheosis of war» painted in 1871, oil on canvas, 127 × 197 cm. Currently located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. original name paintings " The triumph of Tamerlane". There are several versions about what inspired the artist to create this picture. According to one version, with his work he wanted to show the history of the wars of Tamerlane, after whose campaigns only piles of skulls and empty cities. According to another version, still associated with Tamerlane, the artist depicted a story in which the women of Baghdad and Damascus complained to the leader that their husbands were mired in debauchery and betrayal. Tamerlane ordered each of his soldiers to bring the head of lecherous husbands, as a result of which 7 pyramids accumulated. The second version is less plausible, since it weakly echoes both the first and second titles of the picture. According to the third version, Vereshchagin created this picture after he heard about the Valikhantor from Kashgar, who put the heads of executed people into a huge pyramid. "The Triumph of Tamerlane" or "The Apotheosis of War" is part of the Turkestan series of paintings by the artist, which he created while traveling around Turkestan, where he saw many deaths and the most terrible events. These experiences inspired him to create a work that tells about the horrors of war in a vivid symbolic form, which brings only grief and destruction.
The painting "The Apotheosis of War" shows a pyramid consisting of skulls. Some skulls have obvious damage from sabers and bullets. The pyramid is located on the lifeless lands of the endless desert, which once again emphasizes the devastation of war. Against the backdrop of the pyramid stands an empty, dilapidated city. There are charred trees all around. Only crows live here - symbols of death in art.
Why did I remember this picture?
I often make virtual trips. Today I wandered into Presnya. I wandered around Roshydromet, remembered my work at the State Committee for Hydrometeorology. Not far from the Committee building stood a log house on a stone foundation. Someone told me that this is the house of the artist Vasily Vereshchagin. Behind a deaf fence, the abandoned house was chosen by homeless people. And soon the house burned down. Today there is no blank fence, all firebrands have been removed, but the foundation has been preserved.
The foundation of the house in Novovagankovsky lane
Whose was he? It's hard for me to say. I didn't find an answer on the internet.
But this house, judging by the biography of the artist, was not the house of Vasily Vereshchegin. Vereshchagin's big house was located in Bolshiye Kotly. Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin, at the bend of the Moskva River, in the village of Nizhnie Kotly, bought in 1892 a plot on which own project built a house and workshop.
Vereshchagin's estate in Nizhnye Kotly
The construction of the house was connected with the marriage in 1890 to the twenty-three-year-old Lidia Vasilievna Andreevskaya. Soon the children appeared, and with them the family "nest". Vereshchagin became the owner of a spacious house with a huge workshop. The address sounded like this: “Moscow. Behind the Serpukhov outpost. The village of Nizhniye Kotly.
Vereshchagin died in 1904 during the Russo-Japanese War on the battleship Petropavlovsk, which was blown up by a Japanese mine. Then Admiral Makarov also died.
The widow of Vereshchagin after the death of her husband sold the house and land, new owner let him go for scrap.
It is possible that the burnt house on Presnya belonged to someone from the Vereshchagin family. [Later I found out that the house really belonged to Vereshchagin, but who had no relationship with the artist]
And the picture reminded me of the war in Syria...
“I have loved the sun all my life. And I would gladly write only one sun, if people did not kill each other. Vasily Vereshchagin, who repeatedly participated in the campaigns of the Russian army, brought an honest report from the battlefield: dying people, not only in a fight with the enemy, but also because of the stupid mistakes of the leadership; senseless cruelty and barbarity; difficult field conditions. Uncompromisingly honest in details and facts, Vereshchagin constantly heard accusations of slandering the Russian army against him. The artist himself wanted to say something completely different.
Plot
In the middle of the hot steppe rises a pyramid of human skulls burned by the sun. Each of them is written out very clearly, you can even determine what the person died from - from a bullet, a saber, a strong blow. Some of the skulls preserved the last emotions of people: horror, suffering, unbearable torment.
Behind a pile of bones, a ruined city can be seen on the horizon. Crows are circling nearby. For them, indifferent to the fate of the people of the destroyed settlement, this is a feast during the plague.
Vasily Vereshchagin has always been attentive to the design of the frame - each of his paintings has an individual frame. Often the artist asked to apply explanatory inscriptions, which are reportage in nature - they explain the plot and convey the emotions of the author. For the "Apotheosis of War" Vereshchagin asked to write on the frame: "Dedicated to all the great conquerors - past, present and future." With this phrase, the artist conveys the idea of the canvas: it is important to remember at what cost military triumphs are given.
Context
"The Apotheosis of War" is the only picture in which Vereshchagin depicted what he did not see in reality. The plot is based on the events of the XIV century associated with Tamerlane. His name horrified the rulers of East and West. He bled the Horde, brutally subjugated every village in his path. For example, when he came to Iran and took the fortress of Sebzevar, Tamerlane ordered the construction of a tower, immuring 2 thousand people alive in its walls. And after the sack of Delhi, on the orders of the commander, 100 thousand civilians were beheaded. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the towers made from the heads of Indians reached great heights. Tamerlane believed that such pyramids glorified his military talent.
The picture is part Turkestan series, on which Vereshchagin worked after participating in the Russian campaign in Central Asia in the second half of the 1860s. The artist was invited to the place of hostilities by the governor-general of Turkestan and the commander of the Russian troops K. P. Kaufman. Vereshchagin not only wrote, but also fought heroically, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George IV degree. According to the created sketches, the artist worked for two years in Munich. The paintings included in the Turkestan series, as well as sketches and sketches, were first shown in London in 1873, and then in 1874 in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
In Russia, the military, including Kaufman, called Vereshchagin a slanderer. Journalists wrote that the heroes of the Turkestan series are Turkmens triumphing over the Russian army, and the "Apotheosis of War" supposedly sings of their exploits.
Meanwhile, during the Turkestan campaign, Vereshchagin painted not only battle canvases. Among his works are those that show the beauty of the world, the exoticism of places: the hustle and bustle of the bazaar with its colorful goods, carved minarets, locals and their life. Showing such paintings, Vereshchagin opened to the audience a new wonderful world, against which war, death, cruelty looked like nonsense inaccessible to understanding.
The fate of the artist
Vasily Vereshchagin was born into the family of a wealthy landowner in Cherepovets. His father insisted that each of his four sons become a military man. Vasily graduated from the Marine cadet corps and after receiving the rank of officer, he retired, intending to become an artist. In response to this, the father said that if Vasily carried out his plans, he might not return home. This was their last meeting.
Vereshchagin was precise in every detail. The Wanderers admired his uncompromising truthfulness. But the critics and authorities were doubtful about him as an artist, saying that he was more of a photographer, but not a painter at all. To contemporaries, Vasily Vasilyevich seemed terrible, bloody, exotically cruel. There were also those who suspected him of deliberately savoring the details - in order to tickle people's nerves. The artist himself said: “Tears come running when I remember all this horror, but“ smart people“They assure me that I compose fables with a cold mind.”
As a professional military man, Vereshchagin knew the true face of the war. He was outraged that people were dying for nothing because of the mediocre command. And at headquarters they drink champagne to the glory of the sovereign, believing that the more people died, the louder the glory.
He also participated in the Balkan wars. His series of paintings show a huge number of injured and dying people. At his exhibitions, he literally screamed about senseless sacrifices. The audience did not believe and still accused the painter of slander.
Vereshchagin decided not to write about the war anymore. He devotes several years to traveling around India, Japan, and the Middle East. He also studied the personality of Napoleon, about which he created not only several paintings, but also books.
Since the beginning Russo-Japanese War Vereshchagin received an offer to accompany Vice Admiral S. O. Makarov. On March 31, 1904, they, being on the battleship Petropavlovsk, died when the ship was blown up by a mine.
Plot
In the middle of the hot steppe rises a pyramid of human skulls burned by the sun. Each of them is written out very clearly, you can even determine what the person died from - from a bullet, a saber, a strong blow. Some of the skulls preserved the last emotions of people: horror, suffering, unbearable torment.
Behind a pile of bones, a ruined city can be seen on the horizon. Crows are circling nearby. For them, indifferent to the fate of the people of the destroyed settlement, this is a feast during the plague.
Vasily Vereshchagin was always attentive to the design of the frame - each of his paintings has an individual frame. Often the artist asked for explanatory inscriptions, which are of a reportage nature - they explain the plot and convey the emotions of the author. For the "Apotheosis of War" Vereshchagin asked to write on the frame: "Dedicated to all the great conquerors - past, present and future." With this phrase, the artist conveys the idea of the canvas: it is important to remember at what cost military triumphs are given.
Context
"The Apotheosis of War" is the only picture in which Vereshchagin depicted what he did not see in reality. The plot is based on the events of the XIV century associated with Tamerlane. His name horrified the rulers of East and West. He bled the Horde, brutally subjugated every village in his path. For example, when he came to Iran and took the Sebzevar fortress, Tamerlane ordered the construction of a tower, immuring 2,000 people alive in its walls. And after the sack of Delhi, on the orders of the commander, 100 thousand civilians were beheaded. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the towers made from the heads of Indians reached great heights. Tamerlane believed that such pyramids glorified his military talent.
Doors of Khan Tamerlane (Timur), 1875
The painting is part of the Turkestan series, which Vereshchagin worked on after participating in the Russian campaign in Central Asia in the second half of the 1860s. The artist was invited to the place of hostilities by the governor-general of Turkestan and the commander of the Russian troops K. P. Kaufman. Vereshchagin not only wrote, but also fought heroically, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George IV degree. According to the created sketches, the artist worked for two years in Munich. The paintings included in the Turkestan series, as well as sketches and sketches, were first shown in London in 1873, and then in 1874 in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Painting from the Turkestan series , 1872
In Russia, the military, including Kaufman, called Vereshchagin a slanderer. Journalists wrote that the heroes of the Turkestan series are Turkmens triumphing over the Russian army, and “The Apotheosis of War” supposedly sings of their exploits.
Samarkand. Mausoleum Gur-Emir, 1890
Meanwhile, during the Turkestan campaign, Vereshchagin painted not only battle canvases. Among his works are those that show the beauty of the world, the exoticism of places: the hustle and bustle of the bazaar with its colorful goods, carved minarets, local residents and their way of life. By showing such paintings, Vereshchagin opened up to the audience a new wondrous world, against which war, death, cruelty looked like nonsense incomprehensible.
The fate of the artist
Vasily Vereshchagin was born into the family of a wealthy landowner in Cherepovets. His father insisted that each of his four sons become a military man. Vasily graduated from the naval cadet corps and, upon receiving the rank of officer, retired, intending to become an artist. In response, the father said that if Vasily carried out his plan, he might not return home. This was their last meeting.
Vereshchagin was precise in every detail. The Wanderers admired his uncompromising truthfulness. But the critics and authorities were doubtful about him as an artist, saying that he was more of a photographer, but not a painter at all. To contemporaries, Vasily Vasilyevich seemed terrible, bloody, exotically cruel. There were those who suspected him of deliberately savoring the details - to tickle people's nerves. The artist himself said: “Tears come when I remember all this horror, and “smart people” assure that I compose fables with a cold mind.”
“Defeated. Panikhida for fallen soldiers, 1877
As a professional military man, Vereshchagin knew the true face of the war. He was outraged that people were dying for nothing because of the mediocre command. And at headquarters they drink champagne to the glory of the sovereign, believing that the more people died, the louder the glory.
He also participated in the Balkan wars. His series of paintings show a huge number of injured and dying people. At his exhibitions, he literally screamed about senseless sacrifices. The audience did not believe and still accused the painter of slander.
Mausoleum of the Taj Mahal near Agra, 1874
Vereshchagin decided not to write about the war anymore. He devotes several years to traveling around India, Japan, and the Middle East. He also studied the personality of Napoleon, about which he created not only several paintings, but also books.
Japanese woman, 1903
With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Vereshchagin received an offer to accompany Vice Admiral S. O. Makarov. On March 31, 1904, they, being on the battleship Petropavlovsk, died when the ship was blown up by a mine.
While working on his most famous painting, Vasily Vereshchagin kept in mind a very specific historical context- he was going to call it "The Triumph of Tamerlane." However, when the work was completed, the artist realized that he had created a universal image, a powerful anti-war statement that went beyond any historical era, personality or legend.
Prone to sarcasm, Vereshchagin often provided his canvases with dedications, titles or annotations that unnerved the noteworthy patriots more than the canvases themselves. It can be assumed that the picture depicting the consequences of the bloody assault on Plevna would have been met royal family much more favorably if the artist were not going to call it "Royal Name Day". And the triptych, depicting a freezing sentry, would not have caused such a violent reaction if Vereshchagin had not given him the caustic title “Everything is calm on Shipka”.
The "Apotheosis of War" was no exception: to avoid misunderstanding, the artist made an inscription on the frame: "Dedicated to all the great conquerors - past, present and future".
“Here the point is not only with what skill Vereshchagin painted with his brushes a dry, burned steppe and among it a pyramid of skulls, with crows fluttering around, looking for a still surviving, maybe a piece of meat, - critic Vladimir Stasov wrote about this picture. - No! Here appeared in the picture something more precious and higher than the extraordinary Vereshchagin virtuality of colors: this is a deep feeling of the historian and judge of mankind.
Both as an artist and as a "judge of mankind" Vereshchagin always strove for objectivity, always tried to show both sides of the coin. If he painted a picture with the name "After luck", then he would certainly balance it with a canvas, which he called "After failure", if he painted "Winners", then he would definitely find time for "The Defeated". The Apotheosis of War differs from most of Vereshchagin’s “military” paintings by the certainty of the author’s position: there is no other bottom, no reverse side. A mountain of skulls carved with sabers, dead mouths open in a silent scream, scavengers feasting in the middle of a barren desert - this is the essence of any war, its true appearance and the only result.
Today, "The Apotheosis of War" is the object of numerous imitations and parodies, a visual meme that knows no temporal or geographical boundaries. Those who were born in the USSR remember him from school textbooks, those who are younger are faced with his echoes, for example in cinema - from "Terminator" to the recent "Survivor".
However, the effectiveness of Vasily Vereshchagin as a "judge of mankind" was already clear to his contemporaries. Being in the USA at the invitation of the Art Institute of Chicago, the artist wrote from there in a letter: “When I was offered to take children to the exhibition at a low price, they answered me that my paintings could turn away young people from the war, which, according to these“ gentlemen ”,is undesirable". It is unlikely that Vereshchagin is the first ever nominee for Nobel Prize the world - could count on the best compliment.
(1842 - 1902) was one of the most characteristic Russian artists - painters, who in his paintings adhered for the most part to military theme. He in every way avoided depicting ostentatious bravado, ideally beautiful military pathos, shiny bayonets, and a brand new uniform on his canvases. Being a participant in several wars of the second half of XIX century (Vasily Vereshchagin was awarded the Order of St. George for military merit), having seen all the horrors of wartime, he deliberately abandoned artistic pathos instead of cruel and harsh reality.
In the second half of the 19th century, Russia conquered Central Asia, and in 1867 Vereshchagin left to serve as an ensign in Turkestan. And it was there that he created his most vivid and memorable works. At first, he depicted landscapes, nature and life of the population of Central Asia in his paintings. Gradually, his paintings began to acquire an increasingly rigid character.
One of these paintings, known throughout the world, was "The Apotheosis of War", written in 1871. This picture completes the whole series. battle paintings under the name "Barbarians", which Vereshchagin created while serving in the Turkestan Governor General. But it was the “Apotheosis of War”, thanks to its bold and frank content, that became known to the whole world.
Initially, he called his painting "The Triumph of Tamerlane", but later changed the name to "The Apotheosis of War". According to one version, the picture hinted at a well-known legend, according to which two women turned to Tamerlane for help, who complained about their husbands, accusing them of sodomy. Then Tamerlane, having decided to help the poor women, ordered his soldiers to bring the heads of everyone who, one way or another, was immersed in debauchery and a sinful life. As a result, the soldiers laid out 7 such pyramids of 100 thousand heads each.
However, according to another version, the idea for the painting was given to Vereshchagin by a story about how the tyrant Valikhan, in the 50s years XIX century, capturing the town of Kashgar, executed most population, and thus built a pyramid of their heads. Among them was a German traveler, whose head was placed on the very top of the pyramid. This made an indelible impression on him, being himself a foreigner who, by chance, found himself in a foreign land, the artist absorbed the whole essence of the unjust and terrible death lurking at every turn.
Be that as it may, but the “Apotheosis of War” as a whole does not carry a historical meaning, but rather a symbolic one. The first thing that immediately catches your eye, looking at the picture, is the human skulls, folded into a pyramid, in the middle of a yellow hot steppe. Black crows circle around the pyramid. Around dried trees and dry grass. In the background is a ruined city. All the details of the picture symbolize death and destruction. The yellow tint of the canvas indicates the deadness of the entire environment. And the bright blue sky only emphasizes the devastation and peaceful peace.
Vereshchagin's painting "The Apotheosis of War" is more than just a painting. And above all, it carries a deep understanding of history and the value of human life.
