Картины Васнецова известны всем, но мало кто knows that their creation was the result of the author’s complex internal struggle. The Commonwealth of Wanderers, to which he belonged, promoted the socialist plots for genre paintings. Vasnetsov also fully captured the fabulous theme. It was necessary to decide in which direction to move on. These experiences largely resulted in the painting "The Knight at the Crossroads."
Innovative painting genre
It should be noted that having chosen the path of the artist-storyteller, Vasnetsov was an innovator in this field. One can hardly name the name of another painter, who devotedly devoted himself to Russian epic antiquity.
Description of the painting "Knight at the Crossroads" shouldstart with a story about a small pencil sketch made by a master at the very beginning of the seventies. Then his fantasy took possession of the plot of Russian epic about Ilya of Murom and the robbers. In the future, this topic was developed by the author in several watercolors and oil paintings.
The first finished canvas appeared in 1877and was called "Warrior in a helmet with chain mail". It is curious that the artist’s brother Arkady posed for the warrior figure. Gradually, with each new work, the composition of the picture begins to emerge, where the cavalry knight stopped before the "stone-thing" in which his fate was inscribed.
In 1877, the first version of the work wascompleted and a year later was presented to the public at the next exhibition. Reception was warm enough. Description of the painting "Knight at the Crossroads" and benevolent reviews appeared in many newspapers and magazines.
Order Savva Mamontov
The final version of the picture, the one that nowcan be seen in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, was written in 1882 specifically for the collection of the famous philanthropist and creator of the private opera Savva Mamontov. Vasnetsov more than once took part in the creation of scenery for his productions. “The Knight at the Crossroads”, whose description and enthusiastic reviews became known to Mamontov, aroused a desire to have a picture in his collection. Carrying out the order, Vasnetsov significantly changed the composition of the early version. Initially, the knight was facing the viewer. In the final version of the picture, the author unfolded it, hiding his face. In addition, the size of the canvas was increased, which gave the canvas greater monumentality. Changed and landscape.
Description of the painting "The Knight at the Crossroads"
In the early version before the knight was the road,the final is just a field. This decision gave the picture a great emotionality. In her, everything seems to say that there is no other way than that indicated on the stone. The image of ravens and bones scattered in the grass creates the impression of the fatality and relentlessness of rock. In the foreground, the author placed the remains of a horse and a man, pointing out that there were already brave souls, and laid their wild heads in the ground. Total tension complements the bloody glow of sunset. Even the water shown in the distance is associated with a dead swamp.
Having unfolded the figure of the rider, the artist therebydirected the viewer's attention to the predictor stone. It is the inscription inscribed on it that becomes the key moment of the whole picture. It should be noted that of the three inscriptions mentioned in the epic, Vasnetsov left only one, threatening death to those who go straight. By this he excludes other options for the path. Expressively written figure of a horse. He tilted his head to the ground, as if he, too, was lost in thought.
There is one more essential detail, without whichnot a complete description of the picture. The knight stands at a crossroads, armed with a spear. But this is a warfare spear, not a cavalryman. There are differences between them. What should this mean? Most likely, the willingness to fight on foot and on horseback, so that, having lost the horse, not to lose the victory.
The idea of the picture - the choice of the path in life
The question of choosing a path in a person’s life is filled withpicture Vasnetsov epic sound. The emphasis is solely on self-determination of the individual. It all depends on free choice, on the will of everyone. Which way to choose? Go ahead, risking everything, and even your own life, or turn aside and choose the easier way? But in this case, everything is filled with extreme drama. The absence of living characters, in addition to the sinister crows - symbols of near death, and the overall intensity of the picture make it clear - there is no hope, a tragic outcome is inevitable.
