Surikov "Suvorov Crossing the Alps": the heroism of Russian soldiers during the Swiss campaign

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

Exactly one hundred years after the most difficult seven-day descent along the steep off-road, which the Russian army under the command of Field Marshal A. V. Suvorov made, Surikov wrote a large battle-historical canvas: "Suvorov's Crossing the Alps." The painting was bought by Emperor Nicholas II and handed over to the State Russian Museum. This work was not appreciated by contemporaries. They passed her by in silence.

Surikov, "Suvorov's Crossing the Alps": the history of creation

The new canvas was conceived in 1895 in Krasnoyarsk. It continues the theme that the painter developed in the picture about how Yermak conquered Siberia.

Surikov met with great difficulties in finding a prototype that would be the image of Suvorov. He looked through all the lifetime portraits of the field marshal, which were artistically weak. I re-read the historical memoirs of contemporaries and archival documents, where there were descriptions of the appearance and character of the great commander. But all taken together did not givepainter of a full-fledged portrait. As a result, he chose two types of appearance: an 82-year-old Cossack officer and a singing teacher at a Krasnoyarsk gymnasium.

So the sketch presented above was first created, which, in a modified form, entered the picture that Surikov painted, “Suvorov Crossing the Alps.”

Alpine work period

It turned out to be no less difficult to imagine and even more so to show on the canvas what the soldiers felt, descending into the unknown through the snow from a steep mountain. To find out, in 1897 Surikov went to Switzerland and rolled down the mountain. The snow under his feet turned into heaps, and breathtaking. Swiss studies also helped the artist to recreate the movement of the characters. But, basically, everything was thought out to the smallest detail by Surikov himself. "Suvorov's Crossing the Alps" was complicated by the transfer of the movement of the human mass: the artist had no nature. I had to figure out how to portray the soldiers on the move, and not just sitting in the snow.

The rolling of a person in the foreground is very well conveyed, who has broken away from the general mass and is rapidly flying down, raising his arms above his head. His figure is deliberately cropped to convey his lightning-fast glide.

Suvorov's campaign in Switzerland through the Kinzig Pass

Now we will move on to the analysis of the work that Surikov wrote: "Suvorov's Crossing the Alps." Description we start withcompositions. The artist was not interested in a specific place of transition. He set himself another task: to reveal the unity of the field marshal and his "wonderful heroes".

Before us is a steep, shallow ledge, covered with icy snow, a mountain with clouds clinging to it. It takes up 2/3 of the canvas. The mountain with ledges is written wonderfully. It is darkened, and gray clouds slowly crawl over it. Only a spot of light highlights Suvorov himself. On the mountain to the left, the entire Russian army is rolling into the abyss. The artist conveyed the frightening effect of depth through two cuts. The master cut off the top of the mountain, and it is not clear to us how high it goes up. The second cut is even more impressive: it does not show where the abyss ends. It seems infinitely endless to the viewer and soldiers, causing horror.

Commander-in-Chief

Suvorov on a white horse stopped at the very edge of the cliff. His head is bare as a tribute to the feat of the soldiers, and a blue cloak flutters in the wind. To his left is the figure of an old campaigner, ready at any moment to hold his horse if he stumbles. Suvorov is not standing here by chance, because he understands that each of his brave soldiers will look at him before the descent, cross himself, say: “God bless!” and go down. Complicated feelings are written on the commander's face. He has close attention, determination and courage, firmness and fearlessness, a slight smile, confidence in his people who will overcome everything.

Miracle Heroes

The mass of soldiers is heterogeneous. But on all faces there is an understandable fear. Heovercome by faith in the commander and the will, which was tempered in battles. The first to go down are those who have gone through more than one campaign with Suvorov and trust him. Although one of them, just in case, covered his face with a cloak. The commander does not look at them. He turned all his attention to the "green youth", which is behind the old warriors. They are the ones who need support the most right now. It is necessary to instill confidence in them that the abyss, although terrible and dangerous, can and must be overcome, and smiles appear on the faces of young people. A serious, middle-aged drummer is seen next to them. Further, in the depths of the picture, facial expressions are hidden in the shadows falling from the mountain. With such skill, Surikov conveys Suvorov's passage through the Alps.

27th exhibition of the Wanderers

After the painting was finished, the artist sent it to the exhibition of the Wanderers. As always, the new work of the artist was in the center of attention of critics. Few people understood the folk meaning of the picture that Surikov created. "Suvorov's Crossing the Alps", the end year of which coincided with the centenary of this grandiose event, aroused in the liberal press the opinion that the artist did not work at the call of the soul, but by order. But time has shown that this epic canvas expresses the soul of the people.