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Requiem
Victor Elpidiforovich Borisov-Musatov • Painting, 1905, 52.7×76 cm
Description of the artwork «Requiem»
"Requiem" Borisov-Musatov is compared to Mozart's Requiem. As it turned out, the artist wrote it himself too. However, he created this watercolor, being deeply moved by death Nadezhdy Stanyukevich, the wives of his friend, the former one of his few models. "What is it, if not bringing your own life to religion?" - Vladimir Stanyukevich exclaimed when he saw this work.
Nadezhda Stanyukevich reminded the artist of Giuliano Medici's beloved Simonetta Vespucci, with whom the legendary painting by Botticelli "The Birth of Venus" (1, 2, 3). In a sense, the artist pushed her to death, or rather, did not keep her from the fatal step. Her husband, Vladimir Stanyukevich, was called to the front, to a military hospital, as a military doctor. Hope wanted to go with him as a sister of mercy. The couple came to Borisov-Musatov, Vladimir hoped that he would help him dissuade his wife, who had poor health. But the artist enthusiastically perceived the readiness of Nadezhda Stanyukevich to follow her husband and her self-sacrifice. Alas, this did not lead to anything good. The hospital was very hard both physically and morally. Hope simply could not stand it and broke down in this situation. She was transported to Moscow.
It turned out that she was not only weakened, but her mental health was fundamentally shaken. Nadezhda Stanyukevich came to the hospital for the mentally ill doctor Usoltsev (by the way, at the same time there was Vrubel). Borisov-Musatov often visited her, she died practically in the arms of her friend.
At the watercolor dedicated to her, we see the transparent, almost ghostly figures of eight sad women. In the center - Nadezhda Stanyukevich herself. Her image connects two groups of girls. Is she "no longer here, but not yet there," between life and death? another life? Most researchers believe that these three figures embodied his three main models. In addition to Stanyukevich, the wife and sister of Borisov-Musatov appear there. The shape of his wife is unconditionally recognizable in the tall figure turned to the profile on the left. Next to her, it seems, the artist's sister Lena. Closing the chain on the left is another figure in which Nadezhda Stanyukevich herself can be identified. However, there is another version. The women depicted in the watercolor evoke various pictures of Borisov-Musatov, “Requiem” - as if a kind of “collage” of his heroines. They all had their types, sometimes specific, sometimes vaguely guessable. Rather, it is appropriate to say that all the women of this watercolor embody a certain generalized image of a woman in the work of Borisov-Musatov in different guises.
All the works of the artist have a special musicality, melody, and this picture is no exception. One of the researchers made a fine analogy: differing in height, located at different levels around the central figure, these girls are like notes on an improvised sheet of music.
The scene is easily recognized; it is the estate loved by Borisov-Musatov in Zubrilovka. And this was not done without mysticism - a requiem was also written on the estate, although at that time the artist could not know about it. A week before his death, the rebellious peasants destroyed the estate.
Many believe that the "Requiem" - the last picture of Borisov-Musatov. This is not true. But, of course, this watercolor turned out to be very symbolic and became a requiem not only for a close friend, but also for the manor so dear to his heart, and for himself.
After the death of Borisov-Musatov, a posthumous solo exhibition was organized to help his family. But the wife did not want to part with the “Requiem”. She always carried with her this picture with any movements. Once Elena got into a strong storm on the Black Sea. A picture packed in a special case turned out to be the only non-damaged item on board. But, fearing that the next such case might not be so successful, the artist’s widow decided to donate a painting to the Tretyakov Gallery.
Author: Alain Esaulova
Nadezhda Stanyukevich reminded the artist of Giuliano Medici's beloved Simonetta Vespucci, with whom the legendary painting by Botticelli "The Birth of Venus" (1, 2, 3). In a sense, the artist pushed her to death, or rather, did not keep her from the fatal step. Her husband, Vladimir Stanyukevich, was called to the front, to a military hospital, as a military doctor. Hope wanted to go with him as a sister of mercy. The couple came to Borisov-Musatov, Vladimir hoped that he would help him dissuade his wife, who had poor health. But the artist enthusiastically perceived the readiness of Nadezhda Stanyukevich to follow her husband and her self-sacrifice. Alas, this did not lead to anything good. The hospital was very hard both physically and morally. Hope simply could not stand it and broke down in this situation. She was transported to Moscow.
It turned out that she was not only weakened, but her mental health was fundamentally shaken. Nadezhda Stanyukevich came to the hospital for the mentally ill doctor Usoltsev (by the way, at the same time there was Vrubel). Borisov-Musatov often visited her, she died practically in the arms of her friend.
At the watercolor dedicated to her, we see the transparent, almost ghostly figures of eight sad women. In the center - Nadezhda Stanyukevich herself. Her image connects two groups of girls. Is she "no longer here, but not yet there," between life and death? another life? Most researchers believe that these three figures embodied his three main models. In addition to Stanyukevich, the wife and sister of Borisov-Musatov appear there. The shape of his wife is unconditionally recognizable in the tall figure turned to the profile on the left. Next to her, it seems, the artist's sister Lena. Closing the chain on the left is another figure in which Nadezhda Stanyukevich herself can be identified. However, there is another version. The women depicted in the watercolor evoke various pictures of Borisov-Musatov, “Requiem” - as if a kind of “collage” of his heroines. They all had their types, sometimes specific, sometimes vaguely guessable. Rather, it is appropriate to say that all the women of this watercolor embody a certain generalized image of a woman in the work of Borisov-Musatov in different guises.
All the works of the artist have a special musicality, melody, and this picture is no exception. One of the researchers made a fine analogy: differing in height, located at different levels around the central figure, these girls are like notes on an improvised sheet of music.
The scene is easily recognized; it is the estate loved by Borisov-Musatov in Zubrilovka. And this was not done without mysticism - a requiem was also written on the estate, although at that time the artist could not know about it. A week before his death, the rebellious peasants destroyed the estate.
Many believe that the "Requiem" - the last picture of Borisov-Musatov. This is not true. But, of course, this watercolor turned out to be very symbolic and became a requiem not only for a close friend, but also for the manor so dear to his heart, and for himself.
After the death of Borisov-Musatov, a posthumous solo exhibition was organized to help his family. But the wife did not want to part with the “Requiem”. She always carried with her this picture with any movements. Once Elena got into a strong storm on the Black Sea. A picture packed in a special case turned out to be the only non-damaged item on board. But, fearing that the next such case might not be so successful, the artist’s widow decided to donate a painting to the Tretyakov Gallery.
Author: Alain Esaulova
