Paintings on the theme of Maslenitsa. Wide Maslenitsa: wall-to-wall fighting and other folk fun in paintings by Russian artists

In order to better imagine how Maslenitsa was celebrated, we suggest viewing a selection of paintings famous paintings on the theme of Maslenitsa festivities. These pictures can be used by educators and teachers as visual material when conducting thematic classes about Maslenitsa.

V.I. Surikov "Taking the Snowy City"

Surikov depicted an ancient Cossack game, which has long been organized in Siberia on Maslenitsa.

Pieter Bruegel "The Battle of Maslenitsa and Lent" (1559)

On the last day of the carnival, a comic battle between Maslenitsa and Lent was held in Dutch cities and villages. They prepared for the street performance in advance, sewed costumes, organized rehearsals, and prepared food. In the painting in the center of the square, a comic battle breaks out between the Maslenitsa retinue and the Lent fans. Maslenitsa, a pot-bellied fat man in a cap, sits on a large wine barrel. He holds in front of him a spit with a pig's head and a chicken skewered on it. The embodiment of Lent is a thin man in a robe. He extends his weapon towards Maslenitsa - a shovel on a long handle, on which two herrings lie lonely.

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" (1919)

Between 1916 and 1920 Kustodiev addressed the topic of Maslenitsa several times.

Boris Kustodiev "Winter" 1916

Variant of the painting "Maslenitsa"

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1916

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1920

Boris Kustodiev "Village Maslenitsa (Harmonist)" 1916

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1919

The “Maslenitsa” shown here is very typical of Kustodiev’s work. Created in 1919, during civil war, hunger, devastation, the picture is imbued with faith in the immortality of Russia, its people, holidays, history. In it, the artist takes viewers into a world of light, joy, prosperity, where people are happy with life: elegant troikas and light sleds rush through the streets, diving on slopes, frost and garlands sparkle under the sun colorful balloons, colored flags flutter on carousels and booths. Where this holiday is, in what city of Russia is unknown. Yes, it doesn’t matter. This is the image of Russia as the great artist saw it

N. Serracapriola "Rolling Mountains on the Big Neva" 1817

Colorized engraving

After long abstinence during the strict Nativity Fast, after noisy New Year's feasts and the bright joy of the Nativity of Christ itself, after the Epiphany holidays that follow it, comes the daring Maslenitsa. Having come to us centuries later, it is now perceived not only as a tribute ancient traditions, but also as an introduction to certain sacred actions.

Echoes of paganism

Whatever they call this amazing period of time at the end of February - beginning of March, on the verge of winter and spring, cheerful and hearty treats before the long Easter Lent Slavic peoples! And in church calendar, and the people's Pancake Maker! Daring folk festivities, sleigh rides and fist fights, a solemn procession with a scarecrow of Maslenitsa and its burning in honor of seeing off the snow and frost that had already become boring to the common people - all these colorful, emotional events attracted the attention of many representatives of the arts. The holiday was especially vividly and vividly embodied in painting. Studying artistic canvases, we come across a rare phenomenon: different Russian artists have a painting “Maslenitsa”. Why they gave their works the same names, what is the difference between each - we will talk about this in this article.

History and traditions

In the pre-Christian period of life Eastern Slavs, modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians, the onset of the new year was associated with the spring equinox, the awakening of nature, the beginning of a new cycle of life, the cult of fertility and the memory of ancestors. Farmers, who in their way of life were mainly the ancient Slavs, were fully dependent on the harvests in their fields. The painting “Maslenitsa” by Semyon Shemyakin (2001) reflects one of essential elements holiday - the burning of a straw effigy, the ashes of which were scattered across all peasant plots. It was believed that in this way people increase the fertility of the land and stimulate its fertile beginning.

The second meaning of the ritual

Another painting “Maslenitsa” - another contemporary artist Anatoly Nikolaevich Shelyakin (2005) draws our attention to another semantic moment of the holiday. Creating a family and having children, procreation - this, according to the ancients, is the main purpose of man. Therefore, various fun activities were encouraged during Maslenitsa, during which young people could more freely express their feelings. The traditions of honoring boys and girls, young men and women who are capable of giving birth, are closely connected with the same cult of fertility and the rebirth of life. From here came the Maslenitsa viewing of newlyweds, sleigh rides for young people of both sexes, and even comic persecution of bachelors.

Connection with your family

And finally, the painting “Maslenitsa” is also by our contemporary - Anna Cherkashina (2002). It addresses the viewer to the third semantic aspect of the holiday - the commemoration of departed ancestors, forgiveness of insults that family members, relatives and friends, neighbors, voluntarily or unwittingly, inflicted on each other during the year. Pancakes like main element The Maslenitsa table in Cherkashina’s painting especially accurately reflects the ancient Slavic funeral essence of the holiday.

Master of the genre

A whole series of paintings under common name wrote wonderful artist Maslenitsa is represented in his different options, but with the same degree of talent and accurate transmission of the unique flavor of the festival. The cycle of works was created over a relatively short period of 4 years - from 1916 to 1920. 5 full-fledged canvases and 2 versions of the same painting, executed in different color scheme, emphasize special interest artist to the chosen topic. How does Kustodiev approach its implementation? “Maslenitsa” of 1916 (one of the paintings of this time) is a typically Russian The sky is colored by sunset and blazes with crimson and gold. Its rays shine on snow-covered roofs and pavements, and light up rainbow lights on trees wrapped in shaggy fur coats. The domes and spiers of churches rise into the heavenly heights. And on the streets people are buzzing and having fun, the fair is noisy, not wanting to disperse, carousels flash, painted sleighs rush by. A broad Russian soul, brave prowess and love of life - this is the emotional background of the picture. It charges with optimism and vigor, excites the imagination of viewers and awakens the desire to study the life, history and traditions of its people. Of course, our description of the painting “Maslenitsa” is far from complete. But we hope that it will awaken the curiosity of the readers of the article, and they will also want to know more about Russian antiquity and Russian art.

Instead of an afterword

As you can see, the Maslenitsa artists’ paintings are varied in genre and execution. Landscapes and still lifes, portrait sketches, stylization folk print in the works of masters of Russian painting they not only reveal to us certain aspects of the culture, life and beliefs of our ancestors, but also bring the past closer, making it understandable and familiar. Art, like a time machine, takes us from one era to another, not allowing us to lose touch with our roots and making us once again feel our blood connection with all of humanity.

Since ancient times, the Sun Festival has been rushing to us.
He is one of the earliest to look out the windows on a spring day.
This is Maslenitsa rushing along the streets of our loved ones.
The whole village drinks, walks, eats pancakes in a large piece:
With sour cream and nardek, with fish, meat and caviar...

Poems: Iraida Mordvina

Yuri Vereshchagin. Big Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa week has arrived - another great occasion
for fun, walks, meetings with family and friends!
Maslenitsa is an original Russian holiday, preserved since pagan times.

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Maslenitsa (Maslenitsa skating). 1919

Maslenitsa festivities begin 8 days before Lent and mark the end of winter. In the old days, this week was literally overflowing with festive activities.

Sergey Yurievich Sudeikin. Maslenitsa Parsley

Ritual and non-ritual actions traditional games and ventures filled all the days to capacity.

Petr Nikolaevich Gruzinsky. Carnival. 1889

There was enough strength, energy, and enthusiasm for everything, since the atmosphere of liberation, general joy and fun reigned.

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky
Folk festivities during Maslenitsa on Admiralteyskaya Square in St. Petersburg. 1869

Of course, this festive fun, imbued with the Russian spirit and national flavor, could not help but be reflected in the works of Russian artists. Boris Kustodiev addressed the topic of Maslenitsa several times.

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Winter. Maslenitsa festivities. 1919

He presents Maslenitsa in different versions, but with the same degree of talent and accurate rendering of the unique flavor of the festival.

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Winter. Variant of the painting “Maslenitsa”. 1916

Korabelnikov Alexey. Pancakes with caviar

And even today, this wonderful, bright and colorful holiday does not ignore the attention of artists.

Shibanov Evgeniy Nikolaevich

Yugova Lyudmila. Pancake still life...

Interesting paintings from the “Pskov Maslenitsa” cycle by Igor Shaimardanov, the main artist of the “Young Man” theater in Izhevsk.

“I often visited Pskov Maslenitsa: both on Oktyabrskaya Square and in the Finnish Park. Everyone was remembered for something: there was a holiday and fun. The crowd scenes were inspiring.

This theme is inexhaustible and fertile for a narrative figurative artist. Theater artist, it seems to me that the director is always a little...

And since he does not dare to take on productions, he finds an outlet for himself on canvas. That's where he moves as he wants masses. Such a “Pskov Maslenitsa”...

Pskov deserves such a feature even in the sense of its geographical location: nearby foreign neighbors, Moscow, St. Petersburg. These days, as you know, carnival celebrations take place throughout Europe.

How great it would be if Pskov joined this string of traditions with Maslenitsa and was on par with the most famous world festivals.”

Igor Shaimardanov

Studying artistic canvases, we come across a rare phenomenon: different Russian artists have a painting “Maslenitsa”.

V. Syrov. Fair in Zdemirovo. 1998-1999

Alexander Nikolaevich Benois. Carnival. XX century

Peter Frolov. Carnival. 2010s

Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. Carnival

Frans Hals. Merry people at Maslenitsa. 1617

The Maslenitsa holiday seems to have been honored at all times. In the paintings of the old masters we see the plot of this action.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Battle of Lent and Maslenitsa. 1559

Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Battle of Lent and Maslenitsa. Fragment. 1559

Maslenitsa, a pot-bellied fat man in a cap, sits on a large wine barrel. He holds in front of him a spit with a pig's head and a chicken skewered on it. The embodiment of Lent is a thin man in a robe. He extends his weapon towards Maslenitsa - a shovel on a long handle, on which two herrings lie lonely.

Egorova Galina. Carnival.

As you can see, the Maslenitsa artists’ paintings are varied in genre and execution.

Anna Cherkashina. Carnival. 2002

Bagrov Viktor Yurievich. Pancakes.

Landscapes and still lifes, portrait sketches, stylization of popular popular prints in the works of masters of Russian painting not only reveal individual aspects of the culture, life and beliefs of ancestors, but also bring the past closer, making it understandable and familiar.

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Carnival. 1919

Art, like a time machine, takes us from one era to another,
not allowing you to lose touch with your roots and making you once again feel your blood connection with all of humanity.

Pankratieva Valentina. Lace Maslenitsa

May Maslenitsa come to your house with a delicious pancake,
The sun will take over the room and light a spark of happiness.

Sochivko Sergey. Carnival

This holiday foreshadows everyone who is seeing off the winter,
That fun awaits you, that luck is only to come!

Andreeva Maria (shambala)

Ever since school, everyone knows the painting by V.I. Surikov "Taking snow town" The artist showed a moment of traditional Siberian fun during Maslenitsa week. Maslenitsa festivities were captured by P. Gruzinsky “Maslenitsa”, K. Makovsky “Festive festivities...”, A. Tretyakov “Party of the Young”, F. Sychkov “Festive Fun”. But the most famous, most successful paintings that accurately convey the mood of the holiday belong to Boris Kustodiev, who owns at least 3 paintings with the title “Maslenitsa” and many sketches and sketches of this holiday. The canvases were created between 1916 and 1920 during a difficult time, both for the country and for the artist. First world war, the revolutionary year of 1917 and the Civil War on the one hand, and a terrible illness, a serious operation and wheelchair on the other. Overcoming pain, Kustodiev recreates the picture from memory happy holiday, as if contrasting her illness.

The painting “Maslenitsa” (1916) stands out from the background of the works of other Russian artists, primarily due to the primitivism of the brush strokes and the brightness of the palette. But it is precisely these techniques that make it possible to convey the colorful idyll of Maslenitsa in the Russian province as accurately as possible and create an easy festive mood. The last rays of the setting sun illuminate the snow-covered city, the high spiers and domes of the churches shine. And below everything is replete with colorful swings and carousels. Brightly painted sleighs in a rapid race try to find out who is faster, more distant, louder. The picture reminds us that life is a holiday. The winter landscape, which is nothing more than a background here, creates a carnival atmosphere.

Another holiday is depicted in a painting from 1919. And again a pink-golden sunset and folk festivities. A dashing troika is in the center of the canvas, a troupe is catching up with it a little behind, and in the foreground a young merchant and his wife are joyfully riding on a sleigh drawn by a white horse. Kustodiev specifically chooses bright colors for the painting: patterns of painted sleighs, facades of houses - this is how he conveys folk fun. Only the temple, bright and peaceful, creates an island of calm in the picture. In 1920, the artist creates another “Maslenitsa”. But this time it is the life of the Russian people, its history. Kustodiev, like Pieter Bruegel the Elder, here shows us fascinating stories, full of the smallest details. Each group of characters is completely independent and is conveyed with admiration and subtle irony. It seems that even nature has dressed up for Maslenitsa - it has decorated the trees with frost, delighting with sunny and frosty weather. This bright, festive and multi-colored sketch echoes Russian popular print art. In his works dedicated to folk festivals, Kustodiev always sought to depict a racing Russian troika - as a symbol of a reckless whirlwind of emotions. As mentioned above, these paintings were painted by Kustodiev from memory. The main characters of these works are pure from negativity: they are full of dignity, kind and poetic. Unfortunately, this patriarchal-provincial way of life Russian life irrevocably a thing of the past.

V.I. Surikov "Taking the Snowy City"

Surikov depicted an ancient Cossack game, which has long been organized in Siberia on Maslenitsa.

Pieter Bruegel "The Battle of Maslenitsa and Lent" (1559)

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" (1919)

Between 1916 and 1920 Kustodiev addressed the topic of Maslenitsa several times.

Boris Kustodiev "Winter" 1916

Variant of the painting "Maslenitsa"

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1916

Variant of the painting

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1920

Boris Kustodiev "Village Maslenitsa (Harmonist)" 1916

Boris Kustodiev "Maslenitsa" 1919

The “Maslenitsa” shown here is very typical of Kustodiev’s work. Created in 1919, during the civil war, famine, devastation, the picture is imbued with faith in the immortality of Russia, its people, holidays, and history. In it, the artist takes viewers into a world of light, joy, and prosperity, where people are happy with life: elegant troikas and light sleds rush through the streets, diving on slopes, frost and garlands of multi-colored balls sparkle under the sun, colored flags flutter on carousels and booths. Where this holiday is, in what city of Russia is unknown. Yes, it doesn’t matter. This is the image of Russia as the great artist saw it.

N. Serracapriola "Rolling Mountains on the Big Neva" 1817

Colorized engraving

A.M. sign "Farewell to winter in old Krasnoyarsk" 1996

In order to better imagine how Maslenitsa was celebrated, we suggest viewing a selection of paintings famous artists on the theme of Maslenitsa festivities. These paintings can be used by educators and teachers as visual material when conducting thematic classes about Maslenitsa.