A group of citizens at a new telegram with a review of military news. Such is the plot of Vasnetsov’s painting “The Military Telegram.”
Among the townspeople there is a retired policeman, a girl “from the educated”, peasants-workers, a cabman, a pair of noble masters. Military news is of interest to all. One reads aloud, the other listens attentively. The only girl in the picture is in the center of the group. The face is frightened, confused.
Perhaps her fiancé or brother is at war. The rest of all, regardless of the situation in society, listen attentively to the “reader”. News is not encouraging, but alarming. It’s raining, however, only one of those present has an umbrella. The others do not notice it. The wet pavement fuzzy reflects the gray and dull street. War is invisibly present in the picture.
The artist does not accidentally use inexpressive, dull colors: gray, brown. They create an atmosphere of tension and fear.
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