Vereshchagin Vasily (Vasilyevich) – After the success 900 Classic russian paintings

In Vasily Vereshchagins painting After the Victory, the viewer is confronted with a grim and stark scene set in a desolate, sun-baked landscape. Two men, presumably victorious warriors, stand prominently in the foreground. The man on the right, dressed in a vibrant red tunic and a white turban, holds aloft the severed head of an adversary, its face contorted in a last moment of agony. His arm is outstretched, displaying the gruesome trophy with a sense of triumph. A sword rests at his hip, and a blood-soaked sash is tied around his waist.
To his left, another man, garbed in a dark robe and a distinctive white hat, appears to be collecting spoils in a woven bag. His gaze is directed towards the head, suggesting a shared victory and perhaps a moment of appraisal of their gruesome spoils. His attire, with its richly patterned skirt, hints at his cultural background.
The background of the painting is rendered in muted, earthy tones, depicting a vast, open plain with distant hills. Several birds of prey are seen soaring in the pale sky, circling overhead, symbolizing death and the vultures that feed on the fallen. In the far distance, hints of a settlement or encampment can be seen, almost blending into the hazy horizon. Most disturbingly, lying on the ground in the middle ground, is a fallen soldier, his body partially obscured, with bloodstains marking the desolate earth around him, a silent testament to the recent conflict.
The subtext of the painting is deeply critical of the barbarity of war. Vereshchagin, an anti-war artist, uses this scene not to glorify conquest, but to expose the brutal reality of violence and its dehumanizing effects. The triumphant posture of the warriors holding the severed head is juxtaposed with the fallen body and circling scavengers, creating a powerful anti-war statement. The title itself, After the Victory, is ironic, as the success depicted is one of brutal violence and loss. The painting forces the viewer to confront the grim consequences of military action, questioning the very notion of victory when it is achieved through such horrific means. The starkness of the landscape and the bleakness of the scene underscore the futility and destructive nature of conflict.