Brief history of creation
main characters
Composition analysis
Description of the painting "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf" by V. Vasnetsov
Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful are escaping from the chase, rushing through dense forest thickets astride the Gray Wolf. With anxiety, the Tsarevich peers into the surrounding forest - if the fugitives are overtaken, an inevitable separation awaits them. At the same time, he confidently and firmly holds Elena, who practically resigned herself to fate and frightenedly clings to her savior, trying not to look around ...
Brief history of creation
Vasnetsov's canvas "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf" is rightfully considered one of the most fabulous works of Russian fine art. This picture was painted by the artist in 1889 during the period when he was working on the painting of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. For the sake of creating a picture, Vasnetsov interrupted work in the cathedral for some time. He took the popular folk tale "Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf" as the basis for the plot.
main characters
The posture of Ivan Tsarevich and the expression on his face indicate that he is wary, but at the same time full of determination and courage. Strong and powerful, having won more than once in confrontation with the enemy, the Tsarevich inspires respect and trust. He carefully holds Elena the Beautiful, tired from a long and dangerous journey, by the hand.
Of particular interest to the viewer is the figure of the Gray Wolf. This fabulous predator has human eyes, from which it follows that the artist depicted a werewolf or werewolf (an ancient Slavic version of the name) in the picture. The wolf's gaze is directed directly at the viewer. At the same time, there is nothing bloodthirsty and wild in his appearance. On the contrary, the image of a fabulous wolf is full of courage and devotion. The Gray Wolf is depicted by Vasnetsov as incredibly powerful. Moving in big leaps, he carries the Tsarevich and Elena through a dense forest thicket, where no human foot has ever set foot. It seems that the whole group of heroes seems to be hovering over a swamp surrounded by ominous forest thickets.
The wolf vigilantly peers into the space ahead, choosing a path. An open mouth and a protruding tongue indicate that he can hardly overcome fatigue and is holding on with his last strength. Wolf paws are widely spread, a long fluffy tail spreads in the wind.
The fabulousness of the plot is emphasized by the clothes of the main characters. Ivan Tsarevich is wearing an expensive caftan made of brocade, belted with a green sash. Behind him is a sword. The caftan of the Tsarevich, decorated with gold, is in perfect harmony with Elena's exquisite blue silk attire. The combination of gold and blue colors in Slavic mythology testifies to the connection with the world of magic and miracles.
Elena the Beautiful personifies the Russian beauty with long blond hair. Pearl beads adorn her neck, and morocco boots are worn on her feet. On the head of the princess is an exquisite headdress decorated with precious stones.
The artist skillfully conveys the material of the clothes of the main characters with pictorial means. Looking at the canvas, the viewer feels the weight of brocade, velvet, morocco and gold embroidery.
Elena herself is sad, but her decoration looks elegant and joyful. This unusually feminine image was painted by Vasnetsov from his niece, Natalya Anatolyevna Mamontova. The main emphasis, as in the case of Alyonushka, Vasnetsov made not on external features, but on the mental mood and posture of the heroine.
The Gray Wolf is also not literally depicted as grey. His golden-brown coat seems to repeat the color of the clothes of the Tsarevich, whom he so faithfully serves.
Composition analysis
The vertical composition of the picture evokes in the viewer a sense of impending danger and disturbing uncertainty. The main characters seem to be enclosed in a red quadrangle: the Tsarevich's red cap, red scabbard, red boots and the wolf's red tongue. It is the red color that helps to create a sense of approaching danger.
The surrounding landscape emphasizes the anxious mood of the fugitives. The action of the picture takes place against the background of the morning dawn, in the foreground a swamp darkens menacingly, behind the dense branches of giant trees a gray-lilac sky is barely visible. The dense forest looks ominous. Huge trees covered with moss form an impenetrable wall, but before the good characters of the fairy tale they seem to part, helping to get away from the chase.
A blooming apple tree and marsh water lilies bring revival to the gloomy landscape. The appearance of an apple tree near a forest swamp seems unusual and alarming. However, this detail is of great importance. It takes the viewer to the very beginning of the fairy tale story. After all, it was from the apple tree that brought golden apples that the whole story began.
A blossoming apple tree also symbolizes the beginning of a new life and love, it gives the viewer hope that everything will end well. The silver-white flowers of the tree echo Elena's outfit and link the whole color scheme of the picture into a single whole. The canvas is filled with a mysterious shimmer, evoking a feeling of touching a miracle.
Vasnetsov once again proved that he is an unsurpassed master of historical and folklore painting. You can describe what is happening in the picture with a line from a Russian folk tale: “The gray wolf rushed off with Ivan Tsarevich, with Elena the Beautiful on the way back - he misses blue forests, rivers, lakes with his tail sweeps ...”.
The artist arranged the characters diagonally, which creates a sense of movement.
The picture is made in contrasting colors, emphasizing the eternal struggle between good and evil. The dark colors in which the forest is depicted symbolize evil forces, anxiety and danger. Bright colors dominating the appearance of the main characters emphasize their belonging to everything good and bright.
A fabulous painting about Elena the Beautiful and the Tsarevich immerses the viewer into the world of Russian folklore, helping to believe in the triumph of good over evil. The painting is currently in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery.
Composition based on the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf”
The famous Russian artist Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov is an unsurpassed master of folklore and historical painting. His paintings "The Knight at the Crossroads", "Alyonushka", "Bogatyrs" and many others are widely known.
The painting “Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf” was painted by V. M. Vasnetsov in 1889 based on the plot of a well-known Russian folk tale, lines from which one involuntarily recalls when viewing the picture:
“The gray wolf rushed with Ivan - Tsarevich, with Elena the Beautiful way back - the blue forests pass by the eyes, rivers, lakes sweep with their tail ... "
Looking at the picture, the viewer seems to be immersed in a magical world, finding himself next to the main characters of the fairy tale: Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful, who ride the Gray Wolf away from the possessions of the evil king.
Sitting on his faithful friend, Ivan Tsarevich tightly and carefully hugs Elena the Beautiful. He is wearing a beautiful caftan made of expensive brocade, belted with a green sash, black patterned gloves, a red cap on his head and beautiful red boots. Ivan Tsarevich has a serious expression on his face. His large eyes peer anxiously into the distance: is there a chase after them? Will the villain take away his happiness? A sword is seen behind the main character's back: a good fellow is always ready to defend himself.
Next to him sits Vasilisa the Beautiful - a Russian beauty with long curly blond hair that flutters in the wind. She wears a beautiful light blue silk dress with gold trim on the sleeves and bottom of the robe. The neck of the beauty is decorated with pearl beads. On her feet are beautiful saffiano boots. Her head is covered with a beautiful cap, adorned with precious stones. The girl rested her head on the chest of her savior, she has a thoughtful look. The princess gave her fate into the hands of Ivan Tsarevich and humbly folded her hands in front of her. The image of Vasilisa the Beautiful was painted by the artist from his niece, Natalya Anatolyevna Mamontova.
The Gray Wolf is depicted in motion. He rushes that there is a spirit, so that they do not catch up with him. The ears of a fairy-tale character are pressed to the head, the tongue peeps out of a huge toothy mouth, but the eyes do not express anger. Strong paws lifted off the ground to make another long leap across the swamp.
The heroes of the fairy tale are depicted against the backdrop of a landscape. It can be seen that their path passes through the old forest. Centuries-old trees were overgrown with green moss, their bark burst and torn off in places. The forest is gloomy and scary, it symbolizes the evil forces that surrounded the main characters. Around impenetrable thicket. Gnarled dark branches interfere with the fugitives. Beautiful white water lilies growing in a swamp and pale pink flowers of an old apple tree with bright green leaves symbolize hope for salvation and a happy ending.
The picture is made in contrasting colors: the dark colors of the forest are a symbol of evil forces, anxiety and danger. The main characters of the painting are written in bright light colors - these are good, bright forces. The struggle between good and evil will certainly end with the victory of the first, as all Russian folk tales traditionally end.
V. M. Vasnetsov in the film "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf" created the magical world of Russian folk tales. Re-reading Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf, this work of painting is certainly remembered, which remains inextricably linked with the Russian folk tale.
The painting “Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf” was painted by the Russian painter and architect, master of historical and folklore painting Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov in 1889 based on the plot of a famous Russian folk tale. Looking at the picture, the viewer seems to be immersed in a magical world, finding himself next to the main characters of the fairy tale. On the canvas, Vasnetsov depicted Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful, riding the Gray Wolf away from the possessions of the evil king.
Sitting on his devoted friend, Ivan Tsarevich tightly and carefully hugs Elena the Beautiful. On it we see a beautiful caftan made of expensive brocade, belted with a green sash, one cannot help but notice the beautiful black gloves with a pattern that adorn Ivan’s hands, Ivan Tsarevich has a red cap on his head, and beautiful red boots on his feet. Ivan Tsarevich has a very serious expression on his face. With his large eyes, he anxiously peers into the distance: are they chasing him? He fears that the villain will take away his most precious thing - Elena the Beautiful. Behind the back of the protagonist is a beautiful sword in an equally beautiful case: a good fellow is always ready to defend himself.
Next to Ivan Tsarevich sits Vasilisa the Beautiful - a Russian beauty with beautiful blond hair fluttering in the wind. She wears a beautiful silk dress with a light blue sheen and gold trim on the bottom and sleeves. The beauty has pearl beads on her neck, and interesting morocco boots on her feet. A beautiful cap covering the girl's head is decorated with precious stones. The girl rested her head on her savior's chest, her gaze slightly drooping and thoughtful. Elena completely trusted Ivan Tsarevich and humbly folded her hands in front of her.
The Gray Wolf hurriedly moves forward. His ears are pressed to his head, his tongue peeps out of a huge toothy mouth, but there is no malice in the wolf's eyes. Strong paws, having left the ground, are ready to make a long jump through the swamp.
Behind the heroes of the picture it is clear that their path passes through the old forest. Centuries-old trees are overgrown with green moss, the forest is very gloomy and scary, it symbolizes evil forces that are trying to harm the heroes. Around impenetrable thicket. Gnarled dark branches interfere with the fugitives. In addition to the old frightening trees, the artist also depicted beautiful attention-grabbing flowers - water lilies growing in a swamp, as well as pale pink flowers of an old apple tree with bright green leaves, which, I think, symbolize hope for salvation and a happy future.
Vasnetsov in his painting "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf" created the magical world of Russian folk tales. When you re-read Ivan Tsarevich and the gray wolf, this ingenious work of painting will certainly come to mind.
Together with the article “Description of Vasnetsov’s painting “Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf” they read:
/ / Essay-description based on the painting by V.M. Vasnetsov "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf"
V. Vasnetsov painted the painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a gray wolf" in 1889. He is a famous artist who illustrated many characters from Russian epics and fairy tales.
The picture seems magical to us: all the details are drawn so realistically: from branches and grass in the foreground of the picture to a lonely tree standing behind a haze of fog. The picture is dominated by dark tones that fascinate and add mystery to the landscape.
White flowers, which are strewn with ebony branches, to the right of the wolf, give the picture a special fabulousness. This blooming apple tree is a symbol of life in their destiny, a sign of faith and hope for the future.
In the central plan is an evil wolf, which, having pulled out its tongue, runs away from the chase. We see his strength, the brutal power with which he runs forward, overcoming dry trees on his way. The look of the wolf is directed forward, he does not even think of returning. A wary Ivan sits on it, holding a frightened Elena with his hand. The wolf is a symbol of devotion, we see that for the sake of the Tsarevich he will overcome any obstacles, if only he stays alive.
Ivan is dressed in a luxurious golden caftan with a blue belt and an orange hat with fur, he has a sword over his shoulders - all these details of clothing are typical for the hero of Russian fairy tales. From his look it is clear that he is looking out for the chase, he is worried about Elena. The prince is ready to draw his sword from its scabbard at any moment and go into battle for the heart of a beautiful lady.
Elena, in a blue dress with gold frills, leaned against Ivan. Her wheaten hair flutters in the wind, which shows us the dynamics of the picture. It can be seen that their path is not close, from fatigue she took such a pose, while calmly folding her hands in her lap. She completely trusts Ivan, there is no concern in her eyes.
Truly fabulous trees are depicted in the background: they are of different shades, from brown to black, the moss on them seems emerald, sparkling. To the left is a fallen spruce branch. A thin haze of fog connects the fairy forest with each other, beyond which nothing can be seen. This means that there is no turning back.
After analyzing the picture, it becomes clear that Vasnetsov created not only using the plots of Russian fairy tales, but also added symbols that allow us to feel the state of mind of the characters, to reveal the atmosphere of that time. Looking at the picture, there is a feeling of complete presence, as if you yourself have been in this fairy tale, experienced the plot along with the characters, plunged into their fairy-tale world.
Do you know the genre of the painting "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf"? Today we will consider this masterpiece by Viktor Vasnetsov in more detail in order to better understand the picture and get used to it. Happiness to those who can admire the masterpiece live.
Viktor Vasnetsov
The painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf" was presented to us by Viktor Vasnetsov. He was born in 1848 in a small village in the family of a priest. Like his father, the boy studied at the seminary. His first work in the artistic field was the painting of the Vyatka Cathedral, together with the exiled Polish artist Michal Andriolli. It was after this incident that he decided in his firm intention to become an artist. In order to become a professional painter, he went to St. Petersburg, where he studied at the Kramskoy drawing school. This is not enough, and the guy enters the Academy of Arts.
Searching for yourself
Since 1878, Vasnetsov has been actively traveling around Europe: he visited France and Italy. Vasnetsov's creative style is very diverse. It never repeats itself, it always changes. When he was associated with the association of the Wanderers, his paintings were most often depictions of everyday life. Vasnetsov was able to show his talent to the maximum when he began to write in the Art Nouveau style. It is also believed that he can be called the founder of a certain native Russian style in painting.
Painting
It is possible to describe the painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf" only if one understands the Russian flavor. We will talk about this below, but now we will consider the picture in more detail. It was written by Viktor Vasnetsov back in 1889. We see that Ivan is on the alert, because danger lies in wait for him at every step. At the same time, the young man gently and firmly holds his companion, worrying for her more than for himself. Elena was exhausted from such a long chase, her shoulders drooped, and her eyes expressed fatigue, and the girl clung to her savior's chest.
The gray wolf is the most wary of all, because it is he who senses the danger first. His posture is tense, and keen, observant eyes are directed forward. The picture shows his strong paws, which confidently rush towards the unknown. Despite the fact that the wolf is alert and careful, he is still very tired and exhausted by the chase. The dark colors of the picture, together with the depicted exhausted faces of the characters, create a painful atmosphere of tension and danger that hangs in the air. But is there any hope for our heroes? Can they be saved? You can understand this from the picture if you look closely at it and see all the details. Only then can you notice how the blooming apple tree does not fit into the style of the picture at all. It is she, beautiful and magnificent, that means hope and faith in salvation. Thus, we see that Viktor Vasnetsov uses symbolism to show the desire of the soul of each character in the picture. A beautiful apple tree is located quite imperceptibly, it does not immediately catch the eye, therefore, in order to see a ray of light in this picture, it must be examined in detail.
Plot
The plot of the picture came from the people: from Russian folk tales about a strong and courageous hero who always helps those who ask him for help. In the picture, Ivan is surrounded by a black forest, which means a dark force that lives in the forest thickets. The hero sits on a gray wolf - his faithful assistant - together with the beautiful Elena. Old and strong trees block their way with their huge black branches, from which it is impossible to get out. These ancient branches do not even let in the sun's rays.
Similar plots are widespread in Russian regions. Well done heroes are the favorite characters of Russian folk art. They are present in almost every fairy tale, so it is not surprising why the folk artist chose such a theme for the picture. Ivanushka is always the same hero: a little rustic, often the youngest in the family, but always smart, sincere and kind. It is thanks to all these qualities that he manages to defeat evil, save beauties and do good in the Russian land. The author of the painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf" tried to show that it is also difficult for heroes, they can be afraid, upset and doubt, but they do not stop being good. The picture shows that everyone is afraid: the brave Ivan, the fearless gray wolf, and, of course, the fragile Elena.
Heroes
The painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf" shows three heroes: Elena the Beautiful, Ivan Tsarevich and a gray wolf. Let's discuss each of them separately.
The gray wolf is very curious not only from the point of view of researchers, but also from the point of view of ordinary viewers. He attracts attention by the fact that he has human eyes, which very accurately and deeply reflect his inner mood. At the same time, it should be understood that the painting depicts a Volkulak, who was feared and driven away in Rus'. The author also shows that at this moment there are no negative traits in the gray wolf, such as bloodthirstiness or savagery. The wolf symbolizes something completely different in the picture - devotion and sacrifice.
Ivan Tsarevich feels more calm, but at the same time one can notice his alertness and timidity with Elena. He holds her tightly and looks around. From his look it is clear that for the beauty he will intercede even in a mortal fight.
Elena the Beautiful is afraid of the chase, but trusts her savior. She is sad and yet beautiful. The painting "Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf" shows us, in the image of Elena, a traditional Russian beauty with long blond hair and lovely jewelry.
Character clothing
The painting “Ivan Tsarevich on a gray wolf”, the photo of which is in this article, is full of small details of clothing. In fact, this is a very important point, because the author drew every little thing with great care. Thanks to the colors, Vasnetsov was able to vividly convey the robes of the main characters. Looking at each of them, you can feel the weight of this beautiful brocade, morocco, velvet and gold thread. Despite the fact that Elena is saddened, her outfit seems too catchy.
It is worth noting that the artist painted the image of the girl from his relative Natalya Anatolyevna, who had absolute femininity. And yet, despite the drawing of details, Vasnetsov focused on the internal state of the characters.
