Return peasants from the funeral in the winter. Beginning. 1880 K, 36h56 pm, 7 TG Vasily Perov (1833-1882)

The painting depicts a somber procession of peasants returning from a funeral in the winter. The scene is set in a barren, snow-covered landscape under a pale, overcast sky with a hint of pastel color at the horizon, suggesting either dawn or dusk.

In the foreground, three women are prominent. The two leading women are older, their faces etched with grief and hardship. They are bundled in dark, heavy clothing and headscarves, with one supporting the other, conveying a sense of shared sorrow and mutual reliance. The woman on the far left appears younger and appears to be walking ahead of them, her head bowed and hands clasped, suggesting a solitary burden of grief. Her clothing is also dark and worn, and she is the only figure not directly interacting with others.

Behind them, a group of men and possibly more women are seen in the middle ground. Some of the men carry tools that resemble shovels, perhaps used for digging a grave or for clearing snow. Their figures are less distinct, blending into the muted palette of the scene. Their posture and the somber atmosphere suggest they too are returning from the funeral. In the far background, a lone, hunched figure is visible, adding to the overall feeling of isolation and the vastness of the landscape against the smallness of the human figures.

The subtexts of the painting revolve around themes of:

• Grief and Loss: The central focus on the womens expressions and postures directly conveys the raw emotion of sorrow after a loss. The entire group moving together from a funeral underscores the shared experience of mourning within a community.
• Hardship and Poverty: The figures are depicted in worn, practical clothing, characteristic of peasant life. The bleak winter landscape and the struggle against the elements emphasize the difficult living conditions they endure.
• Community and Support: Despite the somber mood, the way the figures are clustered and support each other, especially in the foreground, suggests the importance of community and solidarity in facing shared hardships and losses.
• The Cycle of Life and Death: The funeral procession itself is a powerful symbol of the natural, albeit often painful, cycle of life and death, particularly in a rural setting where life and death were deeply intertwined with the land and seasons.
• Resilience: While grief is palpable, the act of returning to their lives, even if trudging through snow with tools, implies a sense of resilience and the necessity of carrying on.