DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTURES
The best tradition of the landscape painting were brilliantly generated and developed by the works of an outstanding Russian artist ISAAC Levitan. This artist enlarged the Russian painting of the 19th century by the great diversity and depth of feelings and emotions so clearly guessed throughout his canvasses. All the colourful riches of the Russian landscapes are reflected in his masterpieces. Let us remember the brightest and most touching of them. For example: "Golden Autumn" in this painting Levitan creates an atmosphere of joy and happiness. Or 1 would rather remind you of one more great Levitan's landscape "SPRING GREAT WATER". The main topic of this work is the artist's poetic and convincing representation of the revival of the nature, wonderful purity of the early spring and especially of the young virgin and fragile birches which are so bare and wiry in spring. The canvas is full of the springtime air and light. In fact, the great water reminds me of the overturned sky, it seems to be a mirror reflecting even the most unnoticeable details such as a cobweb. In this painting the sunny sky and a mild air gives the nature so clearly seen the freedom of renovation and eternity. And one knows how many songs are devoted to the famous Russian birches and indeed, aren't they poetic in this painting? Like wax candles they go to the sky, their roots dissolve in the water and their branches merge in the deep blue sky. This reflection is like a calm echo of their timid existence. There are no men in the canvas but their presence is vivid: an old panting boat, left by a peasant and far away wooden huts on the horizon. Levitan's technique is unique. You judge about it from the brilliant solution of the perspective in the painting From the beginning till the end of the work over the landscape Levitan didn't change its contents. He was only perfecting the colourful concord of the light and shade. And these are, to my mind, the main features which made the landscape one of the most lyrical among the works painted by the great Russian artist Isaac Levitan. To my mind "BOYARYNYA MOROZOVA" is one of the best and brightest SURTKOV's paintings. He took the subject for this picture from the Russian dissident history and the religious uprisings of the 17th century. During Alexey Michailovich's 'reign the head of the Russian Orthodox church patriarch Nikon and his followers started the campaign for the purification of the church books from the faults and misprints according to the old Greek Bibles. Though it was a progressive step it could hardly bring any good into the life of the common people. And the supporters of the old religious canons started a campaign against submission of the Russian church to the Greek one. This struggle was severe and persistent. For example, a famous Solovetsky monastery resisted to the siege for eight years. Among the dissidents there were a lot of nobles. The whole families died, defending their views. The fate of a historical figure, the inner philosophical drama, the strength of will are the main topics of the canvas "BOYARYNYA MOROZOVA". It was finished by 1887, and as for me 1 consider it the work of great feeling and effect. It is a real artist's masterpiece. Look at the picture. You can see a damp winter day, grey-blue haze that wraps up the Red Square, in the background you can see thatched dilapidated roofs of Moscow poor people's huts and golden onion looking domes of the churches. In the middle of the painting there is a sledge surrounded by the crowds of people and it moves along the snowy road. Boyarynya Morozova sits in the sledge. Her sister, princess Urusova stands beside her as a true symbol of deep suffering. Morozova in her fanatizm is ready to sacrifice for the sake of her religious outlook though she is sure, she'll die, nothing can stop her. And Surikov imparts a deathlike hue to her face. Her dark wide open eyes seem to flare with religious passion. The readiness to continue the struggle until the end of life is expressed on her grim visage. Surikov uses the contrast of a pale face and dark attire which vividly connects Morozova with other women's images in the canvas. And we can notice quite easily that her face is the sole bright spot in the picture: sombre, strained and astoundingly expressive. The colour used in this picture harmonise with its tragic contents. The canvas is done in a realistic and somewhat daubing manner. It is mostly done in bright colours, but there are some dark patches in it. This painting revives in my heart the feeling of sorrow, though the impression of the canvas is great and deeply convincing. The depth and fineness of psychological characteristics, precise definition of the national type, genuine realism place Surikov's Morozova among the best images in the world painting. This canvas must be and is among the best treasures of Russian Art.