"THE SIN OF THE SPLIT IS NOT WASHED OFF EVEN BY THE MARTYRAL BLOOD" (St. John Chrysostom).
Vasily Ivanovich Surikov was a stern Siberian Cossack from the Krasnoyarsk Territory (are there fellow countrymen of the great master here?). “Ideals of historical types have been brought up in me by Siberia since childhood. She gave me spirit and strength and health,”the artist wrote.
Surikov V. I. Boyarynya Morozova, 1884-87, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
Thanks to a wealthy fish merchant who supported the artist out of love for art, Surikov went to study in St. Petersburg, at the Academy of Arts. But he didn't like my beloved city, and Surikov left for Moscow (here I understand him too ☺️), which he considered the center of folk life.
His only order in his entire life was the painting of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Historical paintings began to bring him fame. For inspiration and for practice, Surikov traveled to France and Italy. He admired the colorful canvases of the Venetian masters.
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At the 1887 exhibition, the artist showed the Boyarynya Morozova, a direct result of Venetian impressions. Scale, powerful color, decorativeness, expression! The artist took the theme from the history of the 17th century, connected with the church schism. Let me remind you that Archpriest Avvakum advocated the old church customs and ways, and Patriarch Nikon advocated uniformity with ancient Greek rituals and books.
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Avvakum's supporters began to be called Old Believers. The rich girl Morozova also belonged to them. Avvakum wrote about the boyar: “Your fingers are delicate, and your eyes are lightning fast. You throw yourself at the enemy like a lion. Morozova was tortured and imprisoned in an earthen prison in the north of the country for ardent defense of the old way of life. There she died.
Surikov depicted a scene where Morozova is being taken as an example of disobedience across Moscow in chains. In the crowd, you will find sympathetic and frightened faces, blessing and mocking faces. For the painting, the models posed for the artist not even on the street, so that he could clearly catch the snow reflections and shadows.
The bright canvas is a testament to the end of the old way. Do you think Surikov himself sympathized with Morozova or not?
