Vereshchagin Vasily (Vasilyevich) – Defeated. Requiem 900 Classic russian paintings

The painting Defeated. Requiem by Vasily Vereshchagin depicts a desolate and somber scene. In the foreground, a military officer and a priest stand facing a vast, empty field that stretches to the horizon. The officer, in uniform, holds a book and a cap, while the priest, adorned in religious vestments, swings a censer, emitting smoke.
The field itself is littered with numerous mounds, suggesting graves or the scattered remains of fallen soldiers. The landscape is barren and dry, with sparse, withered vegetation. Above, the sky is overcast with heavy, dark clouds, from which rays of sunlight break through, creating an eerie and dramatic lighting effect.
The subtext of the painting is a powerful anti-war statement. The title, Defeated. Requiem, immediately sets a tone of loss and mourning. The presence of both a military figure and a clergyman on a battlefield emphasizes the human cost of conflict, transcending religious and national divides. The anonymous mounds in the field represent the countless lives lost, their individual stories silenced by war. The bleak landscape and ominous sky reflect the despair and devastation that war brings. Vereshchagin uses this imagery to convey a profound sense of the futility and tragedy of war, serving as a solemn requiem for its victims and a stark warning against its recurrence.