Vladimir Egorovich Makovsky is one of the most famous and important artists of his time. He was a member of the Society of the Wanderers and sought to show the reality of modern life. All this he portrayed in his works.
The picture “Without a master” shows the behavior of servants when the owner is absent. We see a beautiful, lush and rich room. Bright green walls with a kind of abstract pattern, Pictures in expensive gilded frames, Bouquet with elegant feathers. Also striking is the solid wooden furniture with leather upholstery and a beautiful night light on the table.
In the middle of the picture, the figure of a maid is striking a bright red spot. She settled into a chair in a reclining form. A white apron is tied up on top of her clothes. In one hand, she holds a cigar, which clearly belongs to the owner, and the other hand, tired down to the floor. In her a rag with which she wiped the dust. On the floor beside her, all this luxury is diluted by a scoop with rubbish.
The maid indulged in dreams and sees herself in the role of mistress. She is resting on her chic furniture in a huge rich house. Maybe sometime such a day will come, but for now this is just a dream and she will need to return to work again soon.