Vasnetsov's painting "The Snow Maiden" - the embodiment of the spiritual beauty of the Russian people

The painting "Snow Maiden" created by VictorMikhailovich Vasnetsov back in 1899. The master specially painted this picture in order to use it as scenery in the production of the play of the same name by Ostrovsky, written on folk motives.

Folklore as a muse

The Snow Maiden theme was a leitmotif through everythingcreativity of the artist. In 1881–1882 - the scenery for an amateur performance in the Mamontov House (after the play by Ostrovsky), in 1885–1886 - again the scenery, but already for the opera “The Snow Maiden” by N.А. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Картина Васнецова «Снегурочка» является лишь one of the manifestations of the artist's interest in folk art. Initially, it was precisely the inspiration for writing a picture. According to the Russian fairy tale, the attractive young girl Snow Maiden is the child of Frost and Spring. She represents purity, like white snow, but, alas, her cold soul did not know love at all. With all its strength, the heart of a beautiful girl is trying to discover this unknown feeling. Unfortunately, by an evil twist of fate, exactly when love is about to open up to the Snow Maiden's heart, she is destined to die. This purest creature, which combined earthly and unearthly qualities, so fascinated Vasnetsov’s soul that he embodied it on canvas. So the idea appeared, and soon the picture of Vasnetsov "The Snow Maiden" itself.

Criticism

The author of the picture is deeply imbued with the image of the Snow Maiden.and because of this he outlined his fullness of his understanding of the image of this winter beauty. It must be said that contemporaries met this canvas unfriendly. The moments of poetic conventionality, and the whole picture of Vasnetsov's The Snow Maiden, caused controversy.

About the inadmissibility of such free interpretationspopular subjects were expressed by critics and simply by the audience. The painter was also blamed for the artistic character of the techniques. Critic V.Stasov wrote: “There is very little nature, and conventionality is too much.”

Cold beauty

Painting V.M.Vasnetsov "Snow Maiden" is made in cold colors. Literally half of the canvas is occupied by the purest untouched snow, it is depicted in the foreground. According to the artist, this snow should reflect the purity of the girl’s soul and at the same time the cold of her heart. But the image of the Snow Maiden is written in motion, she goes to the clearing of the winter forest, looking around, as if she wants to recognize something in the opened landscape. Her pretty face radiates purity and tenderness. The image of a young girl V. Vasnetsov added a wonderful fur coat made of expensive material - brocade. The wonderful hat completes the image, giving the Snow Maiden even greater purity and tenderness. She is charming, even nature admires her beauty. Vasnetsov's painting “The Snow Maiden” has another “highlight” - the snow is illuminated with an unknown light. So the author wants to further emphasize the attractiveness of a young girl.

It should also be noted the mystery of the forest,depicted in the background, gives the impression of the depth of the Russian soul, which is really impossible to understand with the mind. In the depths of the picture are seen at home, which makes the picture even more complete.

The embodiment of folk beauty

It was in the image of the Snow Maiden master VM.Vasnetsov unusually managed to embody his understanding of real female beauty. The artist with particular attention approached the choice of a model that was supposed to personify folk beauty, simplicity and at the same time significance. His choice fell on Sasha - the daughter of S. Mamontov. This extraordinary work of the author still amazes all viewers with its penetration and depth of feelings. And those feelings that inspire Vasnetsov's description of the Snow Maiden are like a wonderful fairy tale.