Do not touch Let me go. 1887-1895 Vasily Vereshchagin (1842-1904)
Vasily Vereshchagin – Do not touch Let me go. 1887-1895
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Painter: Vasily Vereshchagin
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Patriotism has been and will always be in vogue among artists. If only because one can vividly express one’s relationship to one’s homeland. All Russian artists were quite loyal to Russia. Yes, there was a fashion to paint foreign landscapes. But rather quickly many artists returned to their native spaces. As for Vereshchagin, then there is a special conversation. For a long time he was considered a master of battle paintings, but still he was more of a documentary filmmaker.
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Description of Vasily Vereshchagin’s painting "Don’t Get It, Let Me Approach".
Patriotism has been and will always be in vogue among artists. If only because one can vividly express one’s relationship to one’s homeland. All Russian artists were quite loyal to Russia. Yes, there was a fashion to paint foreign landscapes. But rather quickly many artists returned to their native spaces.
As for Vereshchagin, then there is a special conversation. For a long time he was considered a master of battle paintings, but still he was more of a documentary filmmaker. This became especially evident after his series of Turkestan paintings. After all, for the Russian Empire, Turkestan was exotic. So he showed on his canvases the life of other people with their own laws, rules and traditions.
Vereshchagin’s special subject is war. Often he returns to this difficult topic. On this canvas, he depicted the people’s power, which was manifested in the Patriotic War of 1812. In the snow-covered forests of Central Russia partisan units of peasants were often organized. They acted no worse than a real army. And it was a "terrible dream" for Napoleon’s army, and much later for the Nazi invaders.
What is on the canvas? At first you can not immediately see the main characters. The snow-covered landscape in the foreground is to blame. Vereshchagin as if hiding the power of the people behind the force of nature. You can imagine that the guerrillas are standing in ambush, and very close passes the column of the enemy. But it is necessary to let close to them, and under the cover of the winter Russian forest, they are waiting for the right moment to launch an attack.
In fact the entire canvas is covered by a winter landscape, and only after a closer look can you find the figures of bearded men who are closely watching the French, and only when the older man gives the signal to attack - the fight will begin.
In this way, Vereshchagin praised the spirit of the Russian people, their strength, their power, and their manly cunning.
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Here we see a man in dark clothing, likely a coat and hat, positioned centrally within the frame. His face is partially obscured by his collar and shadow, but he appears to be looking upwards with an expression that suggests concern or perhaps even distress. To his left, another figure, seemingly younger, is also visible, though less distinct due to the snow’s density. The mans posture conveys a sense of urgency or apprehension.
The artist employed a limited palette, primarily consisting of whites, grays, and blacks, which reinforces the coldness and bleakness of the environment. Brushstrokes are loose and expressive, contributing to the overall feeling of movement and instability caused by the falling snow. The effect is not one of precise representation but rather an attempt to capture a fleeting moment – a sensory experience of being caught in a blizzard.
Subtly embedded within this depiction is a narrative tension. The man’s gaze upward suggests he is observing something beyond the immediate visual field, possibly a source of danger or a figure attempting escape. This creates a sense of unease and invites speculation about the circumstances that led to their presence in such a harsh environment. The obscured faces and ambiguous relationship between the two figures further contribute to this ambiguity, leaving room for multiple interpretations regarding their roles within the unfolding story.
The painting evokes themes of isolation, vulnerability, and perhaps even confinement – a feeling amplified by the oppressive weight of the snow and the limited visibility. It is a study in atmosphere and emotional resonance rather than detailed storytelling, relying on subtle cues to engage the viewers imagination and prompt reflection on the human condition within challenging circumstances.