Painting "Morning of the Strelets Execution". Description of the painting by Vasily Surikov "The Morning of the Streltsy Execution"

Painting "The Morning of the Streltsy Penalty" by Vasily Surikov puts an unprepared viewer in a dead end. What is depicted here? It is clear that the people's tragedy: the general heat of passions does not give rise to this doubt. Also in the picture you can see - and learn - the Tsar Peter the Great. The Russian audience probably knows an episode from Russian history, when the Moscow streltsy regiments, using the sovereign's stay abroad, rebelled. But what pushed them to this riot? And what did the artist want to say with his painting? After all, despite the gloomy name, the picture does not see a single hanged or decapitated. Let's try to figure this out.

Official version of events

Sister Peter the Great, Sophia Alekseevna, imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent, did not abandon hopes of sitting on the royal throne of Russia. Taking advantage of her brother's absence, she stated that Petra had been replaced. She urged the streltsy to come to her aid and protect Russia from the invasion of the Gentiles (that is, European managers, whom the king invited from Germany and Holland). 175 military from four regiments responded to her appeal. They arrived in Moscow with a petition in March 1698. In early April, they managed to get out of Moscow, but they returned to their regiments and raised a riot. His goal was to elevate Sofia to the throne, and if she renounced the kingdom - exiled V. V. Golitsyn. The government sent four regiments and noble cavalry against two thousand rebels. In June, the riot was suppressed, and the "most malicious instigators" were hanged. Describing the morning of the Streltsy execution, Surikov takes as his basis the official version. That is, the act of justice, which took place on June 22 or 28, 1698. Then, according to the chronicles, fifty-six people were hanged.

Morning of the Streltsy execution: history

In fact, mass repression began when Peter the First returned to Russia (August 25, 1698). The tsar initiated and re-led the investigation. The present morning of the Streltsy execution, the description of which gives shocked diplomats of that time, was held on October 10. Then it was hanged and beheaded about two thousand archers. Five of them the king personally cut off his head. He did not care for anyone, did not look at the floor or age. He ordered two servants of his sisters to bury him in the ground alive. Those 500 archers who were too young, the king freed from the death penalty, but they cut their nostrils, ears, stigmatized and sent into exile. Repression continued until the spring of 1699. Bury the executed king, who was considered an admirer of European values, allowed only in February.

History of writing the canvas

So what does the picture "Morning of the Strelets Execution", which is in the exposition of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, want to tell the viewer? This is the first large canvas by Vasily Surikov, which he put on the court of viewers. He worked on it for three years - from 1878 to 1881. Why did the artist turn to the theme of Russian history? Probably affected the stay in ancient Moscow, where he moved after graduating from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. It is said that at first the artist wanted to depict on the canvas a few hanged people. He even drew sketches. But one of the maids in the house, seeing them, fainted. Therefore, Surikov abandoned the idea of shocking the viewer. But the tragedy of a premonition of execution keeps us in constant tension. This feeling is stronger than the sight of bloody scenes. The painting "The Morning of the Strelets Execution" was liked by the collector Tretyakov. He immediately acquired it. And later he added two more works of the master on the historical theme - "Boyarina Morozova" and "Menshikov in Berezovo".

Composition

This is a large canvas (379 x 218 centimeters), made with oil. The painting "Morning of the Streltsy execution" is sustained in a dark color, which further emphasizes the tragedy and gloom of the moment. The artist resorted to an interesting technique in composing the composition. He reduced the distance between the objects on Red Square. In the picture, the Kremlin tower with a wall, the church of St. Basil the Blessed and the Execution place were placed right away . Thus, only a few dozen characters create the feeling of a huge crowd, symbolizing the Russian people. It is important that the figure of the king is located in the background. To the autocrat was visible, the artist portrayed him riding a horse. Peter the Great leads a "duel with a glance" with one of the streltsy, who did not break under the oppression of repression. The king understands that he does not control the proud spirit of the people, and his revenge remains unquenched.

Colouristics

For the picture "Morning of the Streltsy execution" Surikov used a rich palette. The early autumn morning after a rainy night, when the fog still hangs over the square, serves as a gray background, on which the white shirts of the condemned archers and the candle lights in their hands appear more clearly. A bright spot, attracting the eyes of the audience, is the archer with red hair. Although his hands are tied and his legs are hammered, it can be seen that his spirit is not broken. This symbolizes the highly flashed candle flame, which he squeezes in the palm of his hand. White shirts and gray background, this grisaille softens the bright clothes of the inhabitants of those times. The red handkerchief of a little girl and the golden-haired caftan of a Sagittarius wife translate the viewer's eyes to the grieving people.

Symbolism

In the painting "Morning of the Streltsy penalty" the artist laid down a certain code, which is not clear to everyone. First, this number is "7". It is so many streltsy depicted on the canvas (one of them has already been executed - only his burning candle remained - as a symbol of his eternal soul). Also seen are the seven chapters of St. Basil's Cathedral. The architectural background of the canvas also carries a hidden meaning. The strict Kremlin tower corresponds to the figure of Tsar Peter the Great, while the bright, colorful heads of the church symbolize the aspirations of the Orthodox Russian people, the expressers of which were the sacrificed archers.