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Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich (1848 — 1926)
Three queens of the underground kingdom, 1880-1881
Oil on canvas
152.7×165.2 cm
The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
In spring 1880 the young artist Viktor Vasnetsov experienced crisis: the creative conflict and rupture with Peredvizhniki, loneliness, empty pockets, no doubt his own creative consistency.
Faithful to its principle to gather around him are not paintings, but the talents, which need only to open, a businessman and philanthropist, Savva Ivanovich Mamontov support young wizard, suggested subjects for his new paintings, and paid them in advance.
In the 1880-1881 year at the request of Vasnetsov Savva Ivanovich Mamontov wrote three paintings for the Cabinet of the board of Donetsk Railway. Painting «Three queens of the underground kingdom» designed for cabinet government, but it does not hit. Members of the public did not appreciate Vasnetsov new, fabulous, genre paintings, and the picture has become a brother Mamontova.
Now the picture is in the Tretyakov Gallery. The painting was to represent the wealth of the subsoil awakening edge. Vasnetsov based took an old tale about how the peasant son of Ivan, the land down under, found a kingdom of gold, precious stones and iron (as in a fairy tale, as in the picture - hard coal) and brought to the ground tsarevnas these three kingdoms. Vasnetsov, introduced them to the luxurious decoration, symbolizing wealth of the land. They emerged the underground kingdom and if petrified. Striking skilful elaboration of their clothes, not without reason Vasnetsov renowned as an excellent connoisseur and master patterns. There are no events in the film does not happen, but the Princess, their orders were written with such a beautiful skill that they can be considered infinite. It is obvious that the artist was looking for the ideal of feminine beauty, which he found in the image of the third, the youngest Princess, «black», as named Apollinary Vasnetsov, visiting this exhibition Peredvizhniki IX. He wrote: «There is nothing to show that, compared to the latitude of the letter and natural». Subsequently, in 1884, Vasnetsov write one more picture of the same name, just by changing the composition and color, why it becomes even more subtle. These «Three tsarevnas» acquired Kievskiy collector and philanthropist I. Tereschenko. |
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