Archery Execution Morning Vasily Ivanovich Surikov (1848-1916)

Description of Vasily Surikov’s painting The Morning of a Streletsky Execution

The painting "Morning of Streletsky Execution" by the famous artist V. I. Surikov is an acknowledged masterpiece of the author, written in the genre of historical painting. The painting depicts a terrible and bloody event in the history of our country - the violence of Tsar Peter over the Streltsy units which formed the basis of the military units of that time, the violence was cruel because they supported Tsarevna Sophia, Peter’s sister by father, in their struggle for power. At the same time the artist does not show his spectators scenes of bloody reprisals, but strives to tell about the state of mind of his heroes at this terrible moment.

In the center of the composition are the figures of the Streltsy and their relatives. Each of them behaves differently here. A young woman in a rich dress is wringing her hands in grief and despair; her clothes are cradled in the hands of a boy of five. An old woman sinks to the ground, beside her a girl of about four in a red scarf, screaming something incomprehensible. Another young woman covered her face with her hands.

One of the streltsys has fallen into despair and hung his head, another - an old gray-haired man - is looking at his entourage with an unseeing look, unable to believe in the reality of what is happening. The face of the archer with the long black beard is full of inner tension, he has mustered all his willpower to survive the impending execution with honor. And only the red-haired streltsy in the red hat looks at the young Tsar with hatred.

Peter himself, portrayed to the side, is also tense. He sits on his horse, as if towering over the events and watching his soldiers and officers prepare the sentenced to execution. His eyes, however, stare with fierce force and tension. He is also full of hatred for the streltsys, but this hatred is supplemented by an awareness of his power in this difficult moment.

In the picture, the old and new Russia collide, and one must be destroyed so that the other can gain strength, and that is the Russia of Peter, the great and terrible Russian reforming tsar.