It is impossible to imagine Russian painting without pictures reflecting village life. In the painting “Bird’s enemies” the artist showed three boys who, from the very early morning, went to the forest to catch birds. They are dressed very simply, as is customary in such places. They are painted in loose cut shirts: on one – dark blue, on the other – orange, on the third – light. Shirts with long sleeves, because early in the morning can be still cool. They are wearing dark pants of a simple style. Boys are shown barefoot, so they are more convenient.
Peasant children are almost always shown on canvas without shoes at all or in bast shoes. Two of the heroes of the picture are depicted in a cap, and one – without. In the hands of the tallest boy and one of his friends a cage is depicted. For sure, this is a self-made device for catching birds. A boy who has less growth carries a long stick with a loop similar to a fishing rod.
Especially I want to note the colors that the picture is painted. The guys are walking in a clearing, sun-drenched. Their shadows fall on the green grass. Boys are shown near a dense, beautiful forest. Trees with wide, sprawling crowns are simply beautiful. In the background we see a small wooden old house, above which Korzukhin showed a sky of a very unusual violet-golden color.
Probably, the boys are not the first time to go on such a hunt. They walk confidently on the road, discussing the upcoming business. A boy in a blue shirt and black jacket shows his friends hand up, pointing at the bird. His friend in a bright shirt carefully peers into the distance, putting his hand to his forehead, shielding himself from the morning sun.
I think they like their occupation. For them, this is a kind of hunting, which they do with pleasure and excitement. However, Korzukhin did not accidentally call his work “Bird’s enemies.” Boys walk in the woods in search of another victim. As soon as the characters see the bird, they will do their best to catch it in their networks.
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