Painting "Peter 1": the greatness of change

Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov - master of creating paintings on a historical theme. In his works he stressed the greatness of the Russian people and its uneasy fate, sang of great statesmen. Painting "Peter 1" - a vivid example of this.

History of creation

The famous book publisher I.N. Knebel was preparing to release a series of books on Russian history. Being familiar with Serov, he suggested to the artist to paint a picture on a historical theme, which could illustrate one of the chapters. Serov happily responded to this proposal, because the personality of Peter the Great had long admired the artist.

Then followed a series of sketches and sketches. V. Serov strove to convey the greatness of Peter and the city he created. So in 1907 the picture "Peter 1" was created.

Description of the picture

The background of the picture illustrates the panorama of St. Petersburg. The river and the buildings and buildings lined up along it look like decorations, against which the figure of the king is magnified. There are no buildings yet - only the foundations of buildings can be seen, there is no embankment - only the land is poured in its place.

In fact, depicted on the canvas Peter and Paul Cathedral will be built a decade after the death of Peter. Drawing it, Serov stressed how the king's projects were put into practice even after his departure. Similarly, ships that are seen in the distance, raise sails only in the thoughts of the king. This is only the beginning, the prototype of the Admiralty.

The sovereign steps hard and confidently. His whole figure is directed forward, into the future. The wind blows in the face, but he continues to walk. Leading a group of people is the regal Peter 1. The painting of Serov emphasizes his greatness in contrast to the stooped figures of frosty nobles, wrapped in warm clothes. They hide their faces from the rain. Features are indistinguishable, they follow the king of common weight.

Details and Symbolism

The artist's work very accurately conveys the atmosphere of reforms and transformations, the scale of which is still impressive. The painting "Peter 1" is made without using bright colors and shades. This highlights the harsh reality of those times. Minor details are few - the main emphasis is on the main character. The details of the clothes and decoration of Peter the Great Reformer are drawn. Particularly stand out tightly stuffed pockets. It is a symbol of the sovereign's involvement not only in the design of the city, but also in the immediate creation of the city.

Interestingly, from the point of view of artistic expressiveness, a cow that drinks water from a river. Metaphorically, it conveys everyday life, which is established by the people settling on the banks of the Neva . To guess that the Baltics is very close, you can by the gulls floating in the sky. The outlet to the sea is the expansion of the commercial space, the prospect of economic development of the state. All the details conveyed by the painting "Peter 1", testify to the beginning of a new stage in the development of Russia, the irreversibility of change. However, there is no pathos in the depiction of Peter, there is the strength and power of the ruler leading the whole country into the future.

We examined Serov's work "Peter 1". Pictures of artists who worked in the same genre, noticeably fade against its background. The greatness of the ruler is skillfully conveyed in the famous masterpiece.