Christmas goose! Elizabeth Merkuryevna Boehm (Endaurova) (1843-1914)

The composition presents a child enveloped within what appears to be a suspended fowl carcass. The figure is rendered in muted earth tones – ochre, brown, and grey – creating a sense of somberness and confinement. The childs face, partially obscured by a red head covering, displays an expression that oscillates between apprehension and quiet resignation. A single tear traces a path down the cheek, adding to the overall feeling of melancholy.
The artist’s brushwork is loose and expressive, contributing to the impression of immediacy and raw emotion. The texture of the fowls skin is suggested through quick, gestural strokes, while the child’s form emerges from the surrounding darkness with a similar lack of precise detail. This stylistic choice emphasizes the vulnerability of the individual within an overwhelming environment.
The inscription visible in the lower right corner introduces a layer of textual complexity. The Cyrillic script appears to be a celebratory greeting – likely related to a winter holiday – which starkly contrasts with the scenes pervasive sadness. This juxtaposition generates a sense of irony, suggesting that the joy associated with the season is either absent or experienced through a lens of hardship.
The arrangement of the child within the carcass evokes themes of protection and dependence, but also hints at a feeling of being trapped or burdened. The suspended nature of the fowl suggests a precariousness – a fragility inherent in the depicted situation. It’s possible to interpret this as an allegory for childhood innocence confronted with difficult circumstances, or perhaps a commentary on societal inequalities during a time when festive abundance was not universally shared.

The works power resides in its ambiguity; it resists easy categorization and invites contemplation about the complexities of human experience – particularly those associated with celebration, vulnerability, and resilience.