Anchor and anchor! Pavel Fedotov (1815-1852)
Pavel Fedotov – Anchor and anchor!
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Painter: Pavel Fedotov
Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Государственная Третьяковская галерея).
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In 1851-1852, the famous Russian artist Fedotov painted his last painting completed to completion, titled - "Ankor, still, Ankor." The picture is not quite clear and seemed vague, just like the soldier’s life depicted in it. A dark room lit by the light of a candle and the moon, which comes in through a small window, a bed, a towel and a soldier’s kettle on the wall, that’s the squalid interior of it. Outside the window is a cold wind and snow, it is winter, the room is warm and nice, but perhaps as cold as the yard in the heart of the man who lies on the bed.
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Description of Pavel Fedotov’s Anchor, More Anchor
In 1851-1852, the famous Russian artist Fedotov painted his last painting completed to completion, titled - "Ankor, still, Ankor." The picture is not quite clear and seemed vague, just like the soldier’s life depicted in it. A dark room lit by the light of a candle and the moon, which comes in through a small window, a bed, a towel and a soldier’s kettle on the wall, that’s the squalid interior of it.
Outside the window is a cold wind and snow, it is winter, the room is warm and nice, but perhaps as cold as the yard in the heart of the man who lies on the bed. It is most likely a soldier, stationed in a peasant hut for the winter. He is an officer, since he lives alone in the room, and also because he has a dog, the game with which is depicted in the picture. Far from his comrades, from the hustle and bustle of secular life, the soldier is bored, he has nothing to occupy himself, he does not read books, he does not want to sleep, and walks in the fresh air is prevented by the frost outside the window. This room has become the meaning of his life for many months, has turned into his whole life, and now he just does not know what else to do.
The dog, a poodle, happily jumps over the stick, and the man lying on the bed, repeats the same movement over and over again, forcing the dog to play over and over again. And it is obvious that the dog, just like the man, is tired, but it is the only thing left for them to do, at least somehow, to entertain themselves on a winter evening. So the man invariably repeats the words, "Anchor, more, Anchor," which literally means in French: "More, more, more, more," by which he induces the dog to act, but nothing changes as they have been playing this way for an entire evening.
The picture requires a lot of thought and is therefore difficult to see, but after a closer look everything becomes clear and understandable, so you should not immediately walk away from the picture, you need to stop, think and understand.
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The painting depicts a dimly lit interior, likely a humble dwelling, at night. A red tablecloth covers a rectangular table, on which rests a burning candle, a pitcher, and a bowl of what appears to be fruit. A small, triangular object, possibly a religious icon in a frame, is also present on the table. Through a window, a dark, wintry landscape is visible. The room is sparsely furnished, with a bed or cot occupied by one or possibly two figures covered in furs or blankets. A dog lies on the floor near the bed. The overall atmosphere is dark and somewhat somber, with the candlelight casting long shadows and highlighting certain elements of the scene.
The title Anchor and anchor! suggests a deeper meaning beyond the literal depiction. The anchor is a symbol of stability, hope, and security. In a maritime context, it signifies safety and being grounded. The repetition in the title could imply a strong emphasis on this idea of anchorage.
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