Mikhail Vasilyevich Nesterov, "Holy Russia": description and year of the painting

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The Russian Empire was rich in truly extraordinary artists, they all had their own unique style, favorite genres and subjects that still delight the soul of a Russian person. However, not all of them were glorified both during their lifetime and after their death, which is an unfortunate injustice. M. V. Nesterov, the author of many paintings glorifying the power of Russia and the Orthodox faith, was such an artist. His most famous works are "Vision to the youth Bartholomew", "Silence", a series of works dedicated to St. Sergius of Radonezh and "Holy Russia". It is on the last of them that this article will focus.

Artist biography

Motherland of M. V. Nesterov is a small town of Ufa, where he was born in 1862. The atmosphere of his family was saturated with love for faith - the artist's parents were deeply religious people,which instilled in Mikhail Vasilyevich a special attitude towards everything connected with Christianity. They supported the young creator's interest in painting and provided significant support to his undertakings, for which the artist was extremely grateful to them throughout his life.

At the age of 12, Mikhail Nesterov moved to Moscow to enter the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and after that - to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. The best artists of that time were the teachers who had a significant influence on him: V. G. Perov, P. P. Chistyakov, I. M. Pryanishnikov, V. E. Makovsky.

In 1883, in his hometown during the summer holidays, the artist meets his first wife, Maria Martynova, who tragically died 3 years after the wedding during the birth of their daughter. After that, Mikhail Nesterov will often write the heroines of his works in the image of his deceased lover. Resigned to the loss of Mary, he married a second time almost 20 years after her death.

His serious career as a professional begins in 1885, when he received the title of freelance artist. After that, the paintings painted by Nesterov brought him increasing recognition, among them the work "The Hermit", bought by the notorious P. M. Tretyakov. He also takes on the painting of many temples, drawing inspiration from European shrines, this activity brings him unprecedented pleasure.

After the October Revolution, difficulties arise in the life of the creator - his family is forced to move to the Caucasus, where the artistdisease strikes. The last 26 years of Nesterov have been tense due to the fact that most of the works he creates have a religious theme, and this goes against the ideology of the Soviets. The artist died at the age of 81 and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery.

Painting "Holy Russia"

This is one of the most controversial works of the artist was presented to the world in 1902. The basis on which the plot of this picture stands is the words of Christ from the Gospel: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." The same phrase is considered the unofficial second name of "Holy Russia" by Mikhail Nesterov.

This creation was unfavorably received by society: many critics considered it contrary to current church canons. Comments were also made to the picture that Christ turned out to be detached, indifferent. Perhaps this is due to the fact that his gaze is directed in the opposite direction from the people coming to him. Thus, the general impression of people from this picture was not very pleasant. Subsequently, the artist admits that he sought to correct the mistakes made in this work when writing the next work - "In Russia" (also known as "The Soul of the People"), where he depicted Jesus already in the form of an icon.

About the creation of the piece

The year of writing "Holy Russia" by Nesterov is marked by gradually unfolding pre-revolutionary events, but despite this, he boldly demonstrates it onexhibition. Before starting work on a work, he carefully studies the area on Solovki in the Arkhangelsk region, drawing numerous sketches and sketches. All characters in the picture also have their prototypes in real life, which Nesterov painted in the same place. The only exceptions are the images of the saints and Christ, taken from their canonical images, as well as the two women on the left in the picture, supporting the patient - the artist painted them from his sister and mother. Combining all the developments collected over a long time, Mikhail Vasilyevich creates this famous work.

The meaning of the canvas

The plot of the picture is full of symbolism. The action takes place as if during early Christianity, when the decoration of churches was very simple and their appearance was not given such great importance. That is why the church does not take up much space on the canvas, and for the same reason Christ appeared to people in the middle of the forest, in nature. The hidden meaning of the picture is that the whole Russian land with the splendor of its nature and the people living on it is Holy Russia. It can also be interpreted as an answer to people, what is the greatness of their homeland - in the pure Orthodox faith.

It is also symbolic that the repentance that pervades Nesterov's "Holy Russia" is connected with concern for the future of Russia. After all, the picture was painted at a time when serious changes were foreseen in the country.

Description of the painting "Holy Russia" by Mikhail Nesterov

In the very foreground of the picture are small plants - shrubs, small spruce, immaturebirch. Even in this one can trace the artist's true admiration for the nature of Russia.

According to the plot of the picture, the center of the composition is Christ, Saints Sergius of Radonezh (to the right of Christ), George the Victorious (behind) and Nicholas the Wonderworker (left). These great martyrs inspire deep respect for the artist, therefore their presence in the artist's works is not accidental. The church behind them is depicted without excessive pretentiousness - wooden, covered with a thick layer of snow with gray domes. By giving her such a small space on the canvas, Nesterov tries to focus the viewer's attention mainly on people and saints.

Central plan

People who came with repentance and their troubles to Jesus are very different - both nobles, and very young believers, a boy and a girl, and elders, and wanderers. At the feet of the saints is a poor peasant and, probably, someone close to him is lying. The peasant asks Christ for the healing of a loved one. A little further away stands a young girl in a black headscarf, whose eyes are filled with sorrow. Due to the predominance of gloomy colors in her attire, it can be assumed that she was a widow and came to ask for the repose of the soul of her beloved. On the right in Mikhail Nesterov's painting "Holy Russia" two women are depicted helping a sick girl to stand on her feet. Behind all this crowd of people, elderly wanderers can be seen, who seem not at all interested in what is happening.

Full shot

In the background of the work one can see the boundless expanse of Holy Russia: high mountains covered with dense forest, a wide river. Everything is covered in snow andpeacefully silent, trying not to interfere with what is happening in the picture. The power of nature that Nesterov put into "Holy Russia" confirms the assumption that he considers the entire Russian land endowed with a special gift - all-forgiving, helping and healing. It is also noteworthy that the artist does not highlight the landscape with bright colors, as if forgetting about it a little, but the viewer still feels the presence on the canvas of the silent giant - nature.

Picture palette

As in many of his other works, the artist does not seek to make the color scheme "screaming", overly saturated. Mikhail Vasilyevich, as it were, is trying to transfer the attention of the contemplator to the plot so that he is not distracted by colors. The main shades of "Holy Russia" Nesterov - gray, blue, brown. There are not so many dark details, a complex gray-blue cold color dominates - the cloudy sky, snow and air are painted with it. Relatively bright accents can be seen on the details - the wanderer's scarf, the peasant's basket, the attire of St. George the Victorious, the flowers on the clothes of the noblewoman and the clothes of the sick girl.

Despite the seeming coldness of the work at first glance, it still attracts attention and holds it due to the presence of many details. The viewer will involuntarily think about what the artist was trying to convey, and then the picture plays with new colors.

Other works by Mikhail Vasilyevich

As mentioned earlier, "correcting mistakes" after writing "Holy Russia"became the work "The Soul of the People". This creation depicts a procession and corrected everything that caused a wave of indignation among critics in the previous work - this is the absence of Christ in the form of a man, and saints, and a greater penetration of the plot. The picture was painted in 1916, its landscape corresponds to the real place near the Volga River. As in "Holy Russia", many of its characters are based on real people - notorious writers - Solovyov, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are depicted among the God-seekers. It is noteworthy that these geniuses of the word were also deeply religious people, and for this reason the artist changed his mind about depicting Maxim Gorky on it - his heart was occupied with the idea of revolution, not faith.

In addition to painting related to the theme of Orthodoxy, Nesterov enthusiastically paints the interior of churches. The first monumental work on wall painting was done in the church of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. The artist was so fascinated by this art form that he continued to work in temples for 22 years of his life.

Then he painted the palace church of Alexander Nevsky in Georgia, where more than 50 works were created by his hand, after that - the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery, in which one of his best works was "The Way to Christ", then the Transfiguration Cathedral and Solovetsky Monastery. For all the time he worked in churches, Mikhail Vasilievich created a volume of work that is incomparable with the number of paintings by any other muralist. Moreover, hebegan to write completely new plots for that time - no one before him depicted saints against the backdrop of nature.

It is impossible to overestimate the contribution of Mikhail Nesterov to Russian art. Creating original works full of love for the Russian faith and nature, the artist best promoted sincere respect for the vast Motherland - Russia.