Vereshchagin twice was in Central Asia, which inspired him to write the Turkestan series of paintings. The habitual scenery of the Veshchagin scenery was replaced by bloody military brutality, which was full of new subject compositions. The heads, carved from the shoulders, taken as a trophy of the victory won, have a horrendous effect on every observer.
“After luck” – a vivid example of the military Turkestan theme Vereshchagin, which depicts soulless thugs in Asia, assessing the head of a white man, separated from the bloody clogged body. Benois, the famous critic and art critic, appreciated the artist’s work, agreed with those who were indignant about Americanism and “bad painting” of a man who “can not be called an artist.”
However, he also characterizes Vereshchagin as an unselfish, indefatigable and devoted person. For many, Vereshchagin’s military creativity has remained misunderstood. I was struck by the color palette, but, at the same time, she also took the form of colored patches against the backdrop of the alienity of the pictures presented.
Kramskoy was one of the few who, admiring the paintings of Vereshchagin, called the author “great Russian”, raising the Russian spirit and making hearts beat proudly. He not only openly admired the work of the artist, but he also considered the success of the Turkestan series to be tremendous, called for making it public, and in every possible way defended the grandeur of the author’s talent.
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