Boyar Morozova Vasily Ivanovich Surikov (1848-1916)
Vasily Ivanovich Surikov – Boyar Morozova
Edit attribution
Download full size: 2048×1344 px (0,5 Mb)
Painter: Vasily Ivanovich Surikov
Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Государственная Третьяковская галерея).
Album navigation:
V. Surikov’s painting Boyarynya Morozova is famous for its gigantic size and was painted by the artist in 1887, depicting a scene from a period of church schism in the 17th century. The subject was painted recalling his childhood spent in Siberia, where it was cold and freezing. On this canvas, Surikov presented the triumphant image of an unbroken woman being taken to the ostrog. In the center of the picture you can see the boyarina, richly dressed, in a coat of velvet, who rides on a sledge-rozvalnyh. Her features are harsh and bloodless, a feverish gleam in her eyes, shows the gravity of his situation.
ArtClub
Best Contemporary Atists
Description of Vasily Surikov’s painting Boyarynya Morozova
V. Surikov’s painting Boyarynya Morozova is famous for its gigantic size and was painted by the artist in 1887, depicting a scene from a period of church schism in the 17th century. The subject was painted recalling his childhood spent in Siberia, where it was cold and freezing. On this canvas, Surikov presented the triumphant image of an unbroken woman being taken to the ostrog.
In the center of the picture you can see the boyarina, richly dressed, in a coat of velvet, who rides on a sledge-rozvalnyh.
Her features are harsh and bloodless, a feverish gleam in her eyes, shows the gravity of his situation. She is shackled and her hands are chained together. Shouting words of farewell to the crowd with her hand raised up, she shows how madly devoted she is to her faith and would not sell it for anything, and the people sympathize with her and relive her tragedy. Some bow to her, and some in the crowd consider her a madwoman.
Dressed shabbily and filthily, the fool sees the woman off with pity. Playing on the contrast of different destinies, the artist depicted in the crowd of shabby and clothed townspeople, dressed in shabby and dirty clothes fool, escorting the boyarina to her last journey. Among the characters of the picture, the artist depicted himself as a wanderer, wandering through villages and towns.
On the right next to Morozova her seeing off sister, covered with a white embroidered shawl, spirited to repeat a similar act. There are many Russian people in the picture, among whom are displeased and sympathetic to her deed, laughing maliciously in her wake. The sense of nature is wonderfully expressed: the deep mark left by the skids on the loose snow, the wet winter day, the muddy snow.
The artist presented this painting with the humiliated schismatic Boyarina Morozova in the triumphant image of the unbroken woman, allowing the viewer to feel all the tragedy of this action and to feel the hard fate of Russian deep believers.
The painting was purchased for 25 thousand rubles in 1887, where it is still located.
You cannot comment Why?
In the background, the iconic silhouette of the Kremlin walls and domes can be seen against a muted, overcast sky, grounding the scene in a specific, historically significant location. The presence of guards and people in traditional Russian dress further reinforces the historical context. The fallen figures in the snow suggest conflict or hardship associated with this procession.
The subtext of the painting is deeply rooted in Russian history and religious schism. The figure in the sledge is likely Boyarina Morozova, a wealthy and influential noblewoman who staunchly opposed the church reforms of Patriarch Nikon. Her refusal to renounce her Old Believer faith led to her persecution, imprisonment, and eventual death. The painting, therefore, is an allegory for faith, conviction, and the persecution of those who refuse to conform to established religious or political powers. The contrast between the defiant, steadfast Morozova and the surrounding crowd, some of whom may represent those who have abandoned their faith, highlights the stark divisions and ideological battles of the era. The harsh winter landscape can be seen as a metaphor for the difficult and unforgiving times she lived in and the bleak future she faced due to her unwavering beliefs.