Description
In 2021, it will be 145 years since the First Serbian-Turkish War (1876) and the formation of the Russian volunteer movement in whose ranks were many prominent Russians – the commander of the Serbian army Chernyayev, and Colonel Nikolai Rajevski, who inspired Lev Tolstoy to create the character of the Count Vronsky in the novel “Anna Karenina”. A great Russian painter Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov, who described Serbia as „a noble, rich, and prosperous land” was one of those who came to Serbia to help the fraternal people.
The world-renowned master of landscape and genre painting, as a war reporter from the Serbian-Turkish War for the illustrated magazine “Pčela”, left many notes, drawings and graphics, which show the war actions he witnessed and participated in. For the heroism shown in the battles during Serbian-Turkish War, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was awarded the Order of the Cross of Takovo.
Motives – Envelope: Reception room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen (1876, wood, oil, 10,2x18, the author Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov). Stamp: Cavalryman of Chernyayev’s squadron (1876, wood, oil, 18x10,5, the author Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov). Vignette: The background of the Serbian army. October 2 1876. (1876, paper, lead pencil, 20,8x26,7, the author Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov). All works are from the holdings of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture “Pan-Russian Museum Association “State Tretyakov Gallery”.
Expert collaboration: Russian Centre of Science and Culture “The Russian House” in Belgrade.
Artistic realization of the issue: Nadežda Skočajić, academic graphic artist.
