Duel on the Kulikovo field in the picture of the Russian artist MI Avilov

In Russian history there are many glorious pages! You can talk about them endlessly. One of them is a story about the battle of two soldiers, held in front of the famous and tragic Kulikovo battle.

Duel on the Kulikovo field is a special battle. This battle was devoted to literary, musical, and artistic works.

Consider today one of the art paintings, belonging to the brush of the remarkable realist artist MI Avilov.

History of creation of the work

The full name of the artist's painting is as follows: "The Duel of Peresvet with Chelubey on Kulikovo Field". The painting was written by the author in the difficult year of 1943, when the destiny of our country was decided at Stalingrad. It was in that battle that the Russians won, what determined the outcome of the most terrible war in the 20th century.

In the picture we see a similar situation: in a deadly battle two riders came together, their spears pierce each other, their horses stand on their hind legs, both warriors are full of rage, but it is not yet known which of them will be the winner.

Russian chronicle, detailing the plot of the fight, in the end speaks about the victory of Peresvet, because his - mortally wounded - brought back to the Russian troops his horse, Cheluses died, having fallen from the saddle, knocked out by a powerful blow to his opponent.

The plot of the work

The duel on the Kulikovo field is depicted by the artist as a dramatic clash of two forces: Russian and Tatar.

The composition of the work is extremely clear. In the center of the canvas - two figures of soldiers, sitting on horses. The faces of the soldiers are facing each other, while Chelubey's face is hidden by a thick beard, and the audience does not see him. The face of Alexander Peresvet, on the contrary, can be seen looking at the picture.

It is clear that the Russian hero is experiencing a strong physical and mental stress, all his strength is focused on defeating his enemy.

Heroes are dressed differently. The doves are dressed in rich robes. Even the horse's horse is made of red material with gold embroidery. On the head of a Tatar warrior is a fur-turbaned chalm. His shield is painted with expensive writing.

The Russian warrior is dressed in a simple chain armor, his iron helmet is on his head, his usual harness is on a horse. It can be seen that the Russian hero is not used to show off his appearance.

Avilov: a duel on the Kulikovo field as a reflection of the meaning of Russian history

The duel at Kulikovo Field is the most important event in the history of our country. After all, it was one of the first major battles, when the Russians, after a century-long yoke of the Golden Horde, decided to defend their independence in a terrible battle with the enemy. And this was the beginning of the process of uniting the Russian lands around the Moscow principality, which helped to make the Russian state stronger.

Turning to the events of distant history, the artist seems to instill in his compatriots the hope that in 1945, our country will not be defeated, but the future victory over the terrible evil of the 20th century - fascism. Russian soldiers will always defend their homeland, they will never bend in the face of the enemy. Such an example shows us the Russian hero - Alexander Peresvet, and those soldiers who are behind him.

By the way, the Russian troops in the picture are depicted with the help of modest gray paints, the faces of the soldiers are turned towards the fighting Peresvet and his rival. Russians are concentrated, they are not afraid of death, but they believe in their victory. The Tatar troops are diverse and insecure, they do not howl for their homeland, but for their future prey, which they can get, once again plundering the Russian lands.

Symbolic meaning of a work

The duel on the Kulikovo field and the subsequent victory of the Russian troops over the Tatars marked the turn of Russian history from the era of the feudal schism to the collection of lands. The same thing, according to the artist, will happen when the Russian troops enter Berlin and show the whole world what the Russian victory means.

The artist anticipates the events of the future, he inspires in his viewers the hope that our country can not be broken by any military force, because the strength of Russia is in its people, its defenders, ready to sacrifice themselves, but not to slander their native land.

Therefore, the picture "The Duel of Peresvet with Chelubey on the Kulikovo Field" enjoys such a love of spectators of many generations. After all, the very history of our country found its embodiment in it.

Thus, the picture of Avilov, kept today in the Russian Museum, represents both a talented illustration of Russian history, and a prophetic foresight of the outcome of the great liberation war that our country was leading.