V. Vasnetsov. Three princesses underworld

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived Tsar Bel Belyanin; he had a wife, Nastasya, a golden braid, and three sons: Peter Tsarevich, Vasily Tsarevich and Ivan Tsarevich. The queen went with her mothers and nannies to take a walk in the garden. Suddenly a strong whirlwind arose - what my God! seized the queen and took her to no one knows where. The king became sad, twisted and did not know what to do. The princes grew up and he said to them: “My dear children! Which of you will go - will find his mother?

The two eldest sons got together and set off; and behind them the youngest began to ask his father. “No,” says the king, “you, son, don’t go! Don't leave me alone, old man." - “Let me, father! Fear of how you want to wander around the world and find your mother. The king dissuaded, dissuaded, could not dissuade: “Well, there is nothing to do, go; God be with you!"

Ivan Tsarevich saddled his good horse and set off on the road. I rode, rode, whether it was long or short; soon a fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; comes to the forest. In that forest is the richest palace. Ivan Tsarevich drove into a wide courtyard, saw an old man and said: “Hello for many years, old man!” - "Welcome! Who is this, good fellow? - "I am Ivan Tsarevich, the son of Tsar Bel Belyanin and Tsarina Nastasya of the Golden Braid." - “Ah, dear nephew! Where is God taking you? “Yes, and so,” he says, “I’m going to look for my mother. Can you tell me, uncle, where to find her? “No, nephew, I don’t know. Whatever I can, I will serve you; here's a ball for you, throw it in front of you; he will roll and lead you to the steep, high mountains. There is a cave in those mountains, enter it, take iron claws, put it on your hands and feet and climb the mountains; maybe there you will find your mother Nastasya a golden braid.

That's good. Ivan Tsarevich said goodbye to his uncle and threw a ball in front of him; the ball rolls, rolls, and he rides after it. For a long time, for a short time, he sees: his brothers Peter Tsarevich and Vasily Tsarevich are camped in an open field and many troops are with them. His brothers met him: “Bah! Where are you, Ivan Tsarevich? “Yes,” he says, “he got bored at home and decided to go look for his mother. Send the army home and let's go together." They did just that; let the army go and the three of us went for the ball. From a distance, mountains were still seen - so steep, high, like my God! topped into the sky. The ball rolled right up to the cave; Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse and said to his brothers: “Here you are, brothers, my good horse; I will go to the mountains to look for my mother, and you stay here; wait for me exactly three months, and I won’t be in three months - and there’s nothing to wait for! The brothers think: “How to climb these mountains, and then break your head!” “Well,” they say, “go with God, and we will wait here.”

Ivan Tsarevich went up to the cave, saw - an iron door, pushed with all his might - the door opened; went in there - iron claws on his hands and on his feet put themselves on. He began to climb mountains, climbed, climbed, whole month labored, forcibly climbed up. “Well,” he says, “thank God!” I rested a little and went through the mountains; walked-walked, walked-walked, looking - a copper palace stands, at the gates terrible snakes on copper chains are chained, and swarming! And near the well, at the well a copper bark hangs on a copper chain. Ivan Tsarevich took a scoop of water, gave the snakes to drink; they humbled themselves, lay down, and he went into the palace.

The queen of the copper kingdom jumps out to him: “Who is this, good fellow?” - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - "What, - he asks, - did he come here, Ivan Tsarevich, by his hunting or unwittingly?" - “His hunting; I am looking for my mother Nastasya a golden braid. Some Whirlwind stole her from the garden. Do you know where she is? - "No, I do not know; but not far from here lives my middle sister, the queen of the silver kingdom; maybe she'll tell you." I gave him a copper ball and a copper ring. “The ball,” he says, “will bring you to the middle sister, and in this ring the whole copper kingdom consists. When you defeat the Whirlwind, which also keeps me here and flies to me every three months, then do not forget me poor - free me from here and take me with you to the free world. - “Good,” answered Ivan Tsarevich, he took and threw a copper ball - the ball rolled, and the prince followed him.

He comes to the silver kingdom and sees the palace better than before - all silver; at the gate, terrible snakes are chained on silver chains, and near a well with a silver cork. Ivan Tsarevich drew water, gave the snakes to drink - they lay down and let him into the palace. The queen of the silver kingdom comes out: “It is almost three years,” she says, “how the mighty Whirlwind keeps me here; I haven't heard the Russian spirit, I haven't seen it, but now the Russian spirit is taking place with my own eyes. Who is this, good fellow? - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - “How did you get here - by your own will or not?” - “With my desire, I am looking for my mother; she went for a walk in the green garden, when the whirlwind arose and sped her off to no one knows where. Do you know where to find her? - "No, I do not know; and my older sister lives here not far away, the queen of the golden kingdom, Elena the Beautiful; maybe she'll tell you. Here is a silver ball for you, roll it in front of you and follow it; he will lead you to the golden kingdom. Yes, watch how you kill the Whirlwind - do not forget me poor; get out of here and take with you to the free world; Whirlwind keeps me in custody and flies to me every two months. Then she gave him a silver ring: “The whole silver kingdom consists in this ring!” Ivan Tsarevich rolled the ball: where the ball rolled, he went there.

How long, how short, I saw - the golden palace stands, how the heat burns; Terrible snakes swarm at the gate - they are chained on golden chains, and near the well, at the well, a golden crust hangs on a golden chain. Ivan Tsarevich scooped up a crust of water and gave the snakes to drink; they calmed down, calmed down. The prince enters the palace; Elena the Beautiful meets him: “Who is this, good fellow?” - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - "How did you come here - whether by your own will or not?" - “I went hunting; I am looking for my mother Nastasya a golden braid. Do you know where to find her?" - “How not to know! She lives not far from here, and Whirlwind flies to her once a week, and to me once a month. Here's a golden ball for you, roll it in front of you and follow it - it will take you where you need to go; Yes, take a golden ring - in this ring the whole golden kingdom consists! Look, prince: how you defeat the Whirlwind, do not forget me poor, take me with you to the free world. - “Okay,” he says, “I’ll take it!”

Ivan Tsarevich rolled the ball and followed it: he walked and walked, and comes to such a palace that, my God! - so it burns in diamonds and semi-precious stones. Six-headed snakes hiss at the gate; Ivan Tsarevich gave them a drink, the snakes calmed down and let him into the palace. The prince passes through large chambers and in the farthest one finds his mother: she sits on a high throne, dressed in royal attire, crowned with a precious crown. She looked at the guest and cried out: “Oh, my God! Are you my beloved son? How did you get here? “So and so,” he says, “I came for you.” - “Well, son, it will be difficult for you! After all, an evil, mighty Whirlwind reigns here on the mountains, and all spirits obey him; he took me away. You have to fight him! Let's go to the cellar."

So they went down to the cellar. There are two kadis with water: one on the right hand, the other on the left. Tsarina Nastasya the golden braid says: "Drink some water, which is standing to the right." Ivan Tsarevich drank. "Well, how much power do you have?" “Yes, so strong that I can turn the whole palace with one hand.” - "Well, drink some more." The prince still drank. "How much power do you have now?" - "Now I want - I'll turn the whole world." - “Oh, this is a hefty1 lot! Rearrange these cadi from place to place: take the one on the right to left hand and take the one on the left to your right hand.” Ivan Tsarevich took the cadi and rearranged it from place to place. “You see, dear son: in one cadi there is strong water, in the other it is powerless; whoever gets drunk first will be a mighty hero, and whoever drinks the second will completely weaken. Whirlwind always drinks strong water and stands on its right side; so it is necessary to deceive him, otherwise there is no way to deal with him!

They returned to the palace. “Soon the whirlwind will arrive,” the tsarina says to Ivan Tsarevich. "Sit down with me under the purple, so he won't see you." And when the Whirlwind arrives and rushes to hug and kiss me, you grab him by the club. He will rise high, will carry you over the seas and over the abysses, you see, do not let go of the club. The whirlwind gets tired, wants to drink strong water, goes down to the cellar and rushes to the kadi that is placed on the right hand, and you drink from the kadi on the left hand. Then he will be completely exhausted, you grab the sword from him and cut off his head with one blow. As soon as you cut off his head, they will immediately shout from behind you: “Chop again, chop again!” And you, son, do not cut, but in response say: “The heroic hand does not hit twice, but all at once!”

Only Tsarevich Ivan had time to hide under the purple, when suddenly it darkened in the yard, everything around him began to shake; Whirlwind flew in, hit the ground, became a good fellow and enters the palace; in his hands is a battle club. "Fu Fu Fu! What do you smell like Russian spirit? Al who was visiting? The queen answers: “I don’t know why you surrender like that.” The whirlwind rushed to hug and kiss her, and Ivan Tsarevich immediately grabbed the club. "I will eat you!" Whirlwind shouted at him. “Well, the grandmother said in two: either eat or not!” The whirlwind rushed - through the window and into the skies; he already wore, wore Ivan Tsarevich - and over the mountains: “Do you want it,” he says, “I’ll hurt you?” and over the seas: "Do you want, - threatens, - I will drown?" Only no, the prince does not let go of the club.

All the light Whirlwind flew out, got tired and began to descend; he went straight down to the cellar, ran up to the kadi that stood on his right hand, and let's drink impotent water, and Ivan Tsarevich rushed to the left, drank strong water and became the first mighty hero in the whole world. He sees that the Whirlwind has completely weakened, snatched a sharp sword from him and at once and cut off his head. They shouted behind the voices: "Chop again, chop again, otherwise it will come to life." - “No,” the prince answers, “a heroic hand does not hit twice, but ends all at once!” Now he spread the fire, burned both the body and the head, and dispelled the ashes in the wind. The mother of Ivan Tsarevich is so happy! “Well,” he says, “my beloved son, let's have fun, eat, but how would we go home as soon as possible; otherwise it’s boring here, none of the people are there. ” - "But who is serving here?" - "But you'll see." As soon as they thought of eating, now the table itself is set, various dishes and wines themselves are on the table; the queen and prince are having lunch, and invisible music plays wonderful songs for them. They ate and drank, rested; Ivan Tsarevich says: “Let's go, mother, it's time! After all, brothers are waiting for us under the mountains. Yes, on the way, you need to save three queens that they lived here near the Whirlwind.

They took everything they needed and set off on their way; first they went for the queen of the golden kingdom, then for the queen of the silver, and then for the queen of the copper kingdom; they took them with them, seized canvases and all sorts of things, and soon came to the place where they had to descend from the mountains. Ivan Tsarevich lowered on the canvas first his mother, then Elena the Beautiful and her two sisters. The brothers are standing below - they are waiting, but they themselves think: "Let's leave Ivan Tsarevich upstairs, and we will take mother and queens to their father and say that we have found them." “I will take Elena the Beautiful for myself,” says Tsarevich Peter, “you will take the queen of the silver kingdom, Vasily Tsarevich; and we will give the queen of the copper state even for a general.

This is how Ivan Tsarevich had to descend from the mountains, the older brothers took up the canvases, rushed and completely tore them off. Ivan Tsarevich remained in the mountains. What to do? Wept bitterly and went back; I walked, walked, and through the copper kingdom, and through the silver, and through the gold - there is not a soul. Comes to the diamond kingdom - there is no one either. Well, what's one? Boredom to death! Look - there is a pipe on the window. I took her in hand. “Give me,” he says, “I’ll play out of boredom.” Just whistled - popping out lame and crooked; "Whatever, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "I am hungry". Immediately, out of nowhere - the table is set, on the table and wine and food are the very first. Ivan Tsarevich ate and thought: "Now it would not be bad to rest." He whistled into a pipe, they appeared lame and crooked: “What do you want, Ivan Tsarevich?” - "Yes, so that the bed is ready." I didn’t have time to utter it, and the bed was already made - which is the best.

So he lay down, slept well and again whistled into the pipe. "Anything?" - they ask him lame and crooked. “So, then, everything is possible?” - asks the prince. “Everything is possible, Ivan Tsarevich! Whoever whistles this pipe, we will do everything for that. As before the Whirlwind was served, so now you are glad to serve; only it is necessary that this pipe is always with you. - “It’s good,” says Ivan Tsarevich, “so that I now become in my state!” He just said it, and at that very moment he found himself in his state in the middle of the bazaar. Here he walks through the bazaar; a shoemaker comes to meet him - such a merry fellow! The prince asks: “Where are you going, little man?” - “Yes, I carry chereviki2 to sell; I am a shoemaker." - "Take me to your apprentice." - "Do you know how to sew slips?" - “Yes, anything, I can; otherwise, I’ll sew a dress, and I’ll sew a dress. - "Well, let's go!"

They came home; shoemaker and says: “Well, make it! Here is the very first product for you; I'll see how you can." Ivan Tsarevich went into his room, took out a pipe, whistled - they appeared lame and crooked: “What do you want, Ivan Tsarevich?” - "So that by tomorrow the shoes will be ready." - “Oh, this is a service, not a service!” - "Here is the goods!" - What is this product? Rubbish - and only! You have to throw it out the window." The next day the prince wakes up, on the table there are beautiful shoes, the very first. The owner also got up: “What, well done, did you sew shoes?” - "Ready". - "Well, show me!" He looked at the shoes and gasped: “That's how I got the master for myself! Not a master, but a miracle! I took these shoes and carried them to the market to sell.

At this very time, three weddings were being prepared at the tsar: Peter Tsarevich was going to marry Elena the Beautiful, Vasily Tsarevich - the queen of the silver kingdom, and the queen of the copper kingdom was given for a general. They began to buy outfits for those weddings; Helen the Beautiful needed slippers. Our shoemaker turned out to have the best slippers; brought him to the palace. Elena the Beautiful looked at her: “What is this? - speaks. “Only in the mountains can they make such shoes.” She paid the shoemaker dearly and ordered: “Make me without measurement another pair of slippers, so that they are wonderfully sewn, removed with precious stones, seated with diamonds. Yes, so that they will be in time for tomorrow, otherwise - to the gallows!

The shoemaker took the money and precious stones; goes home - so cloudy. "Trouble! - speaks. - So what's now? Where to sew such shoes for tomorrow, and even without measurements? Looks like they'll hang me tomorrow! Let me go for a last walk with grief with my friends. Went into a tavern; he had many friends, so they ask: “What are you, brother, cloudy?” “Ah, dear friends, tomorrow they will hang me!” - "Why so?" The shoemaker told his grief: “Where is there to think about work? We'd better take a last walk." Here they drank, drank, walked, walked, the shoemaker was already swinging. “Well,” he says, “I’ll take home a barrel of wine and go to bed. And tomorrow, as soon as they come to hang me, I’ll blow half a bucket; let them hang me without a memory.” Comes home. “Well, accursed one,” he says to Ivan Tsarevich, “this is what your coats have done ... so and so ... in the morning, when they come for me, wake me up now.”

At night, Ivan Tsarevich took out a pipe, whistled - they appeared lame and crooked: “What do you want, Ivan Tsarevich?” - "So that such and such shoes are ready." - "Listen!" Ivan Tsarevich went to bed; wakes up in the morning - the shoes are on the table, like the heat is burning. He goes to wake up the owner: “Master! It's time to get up." - “What, did they come for me? Come on, a barrel of wine, here's a mug - pour it; let them hang the drunk.” - "Yes, the shoes are ready." - “How are you ready? Where are they? - The owner ran, looked: - Oh, when did we do this with you? - “Yes, at night, really, master, don’t you remember how we cut and sew?” - “I fell asleep completely, brother; I remember a little!

He took the shoes, wrapped them up, and ran to the palace. Elena the Beautiful saw the shoes and guessed: “It’s true, perfumes are making Ivan Tsarevich.” - "How did you do that?" she asks the shoemaker, “Yes, I,” she says, “can do everything!” - “If so, make me a wedding dress, so that it is embroidered with gold, studded with diamonds and precious stones. Yes, so that in the morning it was ready, otherwise - off with your head! There is a shoemaker again overcast, and the others have been waiting for him for a long time: “Well?” - “Yes, - he says, - one damnation! Here a translator of the Christian family appeared, ordered to sew a dress with gold and stones by tomorrow. And what a tailor I am! I'm sure they'll take my head off tomorrow." - "Hey, brother, the morning is wiser than the evening: let's go for a walk."

Went to a tavern, drink, walk. The shoemaker got drunk again, brought home a whole barrel of wine and said to Ivan Tsarevich: “Well, little one, tomorrow, when you wake me up, I’ll blow out a whole bucket; Let the drunk beheaded! And I can’t make such a dress in my life. ” The owner went to bed, snored, and Ivan Tsarevich whistled into a pipe - they appeared lame and crooked: “What do you want, prince?” - "Yes, so that by tomorrow the dress was ready - exactly the same as Elena the Beautiful wore at the Whirlwind." - “Listen! Will be ready". Tsarevich Ivan woke up with the light, and the dress lies on the table, like the heat burns - so the whole room was lit up. Here he wakes up the owner, he opened his eyes: “What, did they come for me - to chop off my head? Come on wine!” - “Why, the dress is ready ...” - “Oh! When did we have time to sew? “Yes, at night, don’t you remember? You made it yourself." - “Ah, brother, I remember a little; like I see in a dream." The shoemaker took a dress and ran to the palace.

Here Elena the Beautiful gave him a lot of money and orders: “Look, so that tomorrow by dawn at the seventh verst on the sea there will be a golden kingdom and that from there to our palace a golden bridge will be made, that bridge will be covered with expensive velvet, and near the railing on both sides would grow wonderful trees and singing birds sang with different voices. If you don’t do it by tomorrow, I’ll order you to be quadrupled!” The shoemaker went from Helen the Beautiful and hung his head. His friends meet him: “What, brother?” - “What! I'm gone, quarter me tomorrow. She asked such a service that she wouldn’t do any damn thing. ” - "Oh, it's full! The morning is wiser than the evening; Let's go to the tavern." - “And then let's go! Last but not least, have some fun."

Here they drank and drank; the shoemaker was so drunk by evening that they brought him home by the arms. "Goodbye, little one!" - he says to Ivan Tsarevich. “Tomorrow they will execute me.” - "Is a new service set?" - "Yes, like this and like that!" He lay down and snored; and Ivan Tsarevich immediately went to his room, whistled into a pipe - they appeared lame and crooked: “What do you want, Ivan Tsarevich?” - “Can you do me such a service ...” - “Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, this is a service! Well, yes, there is nothing to do - by morning everything will be ready. The next day it began to get a little light, Ivan Tsarevich woke up, looked out the window - fathers of light! Everything is done as it is: the golden palace burns like a fire. He wakes up the owner; he jumped up: “What? Did they come for me? Come on, wine! Let them execute the drunk." - "Yes, the palace is ready." - "What you!" The shoemaker looked out the window and gasped in surprise: "How did it happen?" - “Don’t you remember how we made things with you?” - “Ah, apparently, I fell asleep; I remember a little!

They ran to the golden palace - there is wealth unprecedented and unheard of. Ivan Tsarevich says: “Here is a wing for you, master; Go ahead, brush over the railings on the bridge, and if they come and ask: who lives in the palace? "Don't say anything, just give this note." That's good, the shoemaker went and began to overcast the railing on the bridge. In the morning Elena the Beautiful woke up, saw the golden palace and now ran to the king: “Look, your majesty, what is happening with us; A golden palace was built on the sea, from that palace a bridge stretches for seven miles, and around the bridge wonderful trees grow, and songbirds sing in different voices.

The king now sends to ask: “What would this mean? Is it possible that some hero stepped under his state? The messengers came to the shoemaker, they began to question him; he says: "I do not know, but I have a note to your king." In this note, Ivan Tsarevich told his father everything as it happened: how he freed his mother, got Elena the Beautiful and how his older brothers deceived him. Together with the note, Ivan Tsarevich sends golden carriages and asks the tsar and the tsarina, Elena the Beautiful and her sisters to come to him; and let the brothers be brought back in simple logs.

Everyone immediately packed up and drove off; Ivan Tsarevich met them with joy. The tsar wanted to punish his elder sons for their untruth, but Ivan Tsarevich begged his father, and they were forgiven. Then the feast began with a mountain; Ivan Tsarevich married Elena the Beautiful, for Peter Tsarevich he gave the queen of the silver state, for Vasily Tsarevich he gave the queen of the copper state, and promoted the shoemaker to the generals. I was at that feast, I drank honey-wine, it flowed down my mustache, it didn’t get into my mouth.

Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov is known for painting paintings based on various Russian legends, which are especially common among ordinary people. In 1880, by order of a Russian entrepreneur, the artist created a canvas called "Three Princesses of the Underworld", based on the fairy tale "Underground Kingdoms". This picture had two versions: in 1884, Vasnetsov slightly changed the position of the hands of one of the princesses in order to give her more calm and majesty.

In the center of the canvas are three majestic figures of girls against the background of dull gray rocks and a gently blue sky, on which pale pink clouds float by. The whole background only adds to the beauty of the main characters. Each heroine represents the wealth of the bowels of the earth. The girl, standing to the left of the others, is dressed in a luxurious golden dress embroidered with traditional Russian patterns, and a golden headdress flaunts on her head, which includes several precious stones.

Despite all her majestic appearance, she behaves rather modestly, not showing her superiority. Her sister, who stands in the center, is not inferior to her in beauty and royalty. The entire outfit of that one consists of precious stones, even the crown consists entirely of them. But she is also an example of royal pride and modesty. The two sisters are majestic and know their position. But the third sister, who stands to their right, does not at all look like her relatives. Instead of a bright, bejeweled dress, the girl is wearing a relatively modest black dress, and neither a crown nor anything else adorns the girl’s head. In addition, her hair falls freely over her shoulders and adds to her a kind of lightness and tenderness. The girl does not radiate the same regal power as her sisters, but for some reason it is still impossible to take your eyes off her.

It is with her modesty, unobtrusiveness and calm confidence that she attracts attention and significantly surpasses the other two representatives. It contains the image of a real Russian girl who never exposes her advantage to the outside, but behaves with restraint and without arrogance. Also, in addition to the three princesses of the underworld, the canvas depicts two men who are on the right side. They knelt before the majestic images. However, the girls do not even notice these ordinary people. The heroines simply froze in their poses and do not pay the slightest attention to what is happening around. Perhaps this happened for the reason that they were on the ground, and not in their usual environment. But it is precisely this staticness that adds to the princesses an increasingly majestic look that makes people admire them.

Thus, Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov in his painting “Three Princesses of the Underground Kingdom” depicted majestic girls, each of which represents a certain type of fossil that can be found in the bowels of the earth.

1884 Oil on canvas. 164 x 297 cm. State Museum Russian art

Description of the painting by Vasnetsov V.M. "Three Princesses of the Underworld"

In 1880, V. Vasnetsov received an order from patron Savva Mamontov to paint three paintings to decorate the Donetsk railway station. The artist, whose work is inextricably linked with epics, legends and fairy tales, this time again opted for fairy tales. Soon the paintings "Flying Carpet", "Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs" and "Three Queens of the Underworld" were ready.

The painting "Three Queens ..." was painted last and was intended to decorate the office of the Board of the Railway. As conceived by the master, the picture was to become the personification of the untold riches stored in the land of Donbass. The heroines of the folk tale became the embodiment of these treasures - underground princesses. According to the tale, there were only two of them - the princesses of Gold and Precious Stones. But to please the industrialists, the artist also painted the third one - the Coal Princess.

Three girls, shining with the dazzling beauty of their faces and outfits, became the main characters of the picture. In the center is depicted the princess of Precious Stones. Majestic and proud, she stands with her head held high, demonstrating her noble origin. Her outfit is indescribably beautiful: an expensive dress embroidered with intricate ornaments catches the eye, bewitching with emerald, pinkish, turquoise, red and yellow tints of precious stones that make up the pattern. Heavy beads on her chest and a crown of gems on her head complete the image of the guardian of the underground treasure. Her face is not inferior in beauty to the attractiveness of stones: scarlet lips, a burning blush and sable eyebrows - a true princess.

To the left of the Queen of Precious Stones stands the equally majestic Princess of Gold, who is easily recognizable by her sparkling golden robe. The intricate pattern of gilded fabric is complemented by a scattering of gems that adorn the sleeves, buttons and hem of the dress. Shines with the brilliance of precious stones and the crown-kokoshnik on the royal head, and the beads on the neck of the queen. But her beautiful face is sad and sad, longing is hidden in her lowered eyes.

Somewhat away from the majestic sisters, the viewer will see the timid Coal Princess. In her attire there is no pretentiousness and magnificent royalty, just as there is no arrogance in her face. A modest but exquisite black brocade dress, beautiful black hair, freely falling on her shoulders, open, helplessly lowered hands, sadness on her snow-white face - such was created by Vasnetsov, the youngest of the princesses. Standing out against the background of her sisters with her simplicity and modesty, she seems more sweet, dear, close and humane.

Beautiful princesses are saddened. And the reason for their sadness can be seen here, on the canvas. In the lower right corner, the artist painted two brothers, Ivan Tsarevich, the hero of the fairy tale that inspired the artist to create the painting. According to the story, the princes betrayed their brother: having kidnapped the underground beauties and rescued their mother, they cut the rope and left him to die underground. In their hands, you can see both the rope and the knife with which it was cut. Both brothers are shown at the moment when they, struck by the beauty and stature of the princesses, bowed down before them in a daze in a bow to the ground.

Monumentality gives the picture and the red sunset sky, and blocks of black rocks. The contrasting combination of sky and earth, at the intersection of which the abducted girls are shown, emphasizes their anxiety and excitement.

Despite the beauty of the canvas, the railway workers refused to buy the painting, citing a fairy tale plot alien to industry. As a result, the work of the great artist was acquired by the collector and philanthropist I. Tereshchenko.

The best paintings of Vasnetsov V.M.

Vasnetsov, we remember from the well-known from the school "Three heroes" and "Ivan Tsarevich on gray wolf". And today let's pay attention to a not so well-known, but very interesting work master - "Three princesses of the underworld." Believe me, she has something to surprise us with!

Savva Mamontov

It is somehow strange that the great artists whose work can be seen in best museums, worked to order. Needed, earned, wrote even to decorate offices and apartments. Somehow it doesn't fit. Nevertheless, this is so, and it is with such an order that the history of this amazing picture is connected.

So, Viktor Vasnetsov had a friend - Savva Mamontov. And I must say, it was a well-known at that time (and still fond of art) entrepreneur and philanthropist. This means that he supported the artists "free of charge, that is, for nothing."

Here he is, Savva, you see - imposingly lounging on the sofa in Repin's painting. Almost new Russian. And who knows what would happen to Russian art, if there were no Savva, there would definitely be fewer paintings in the Tretyakov Gallery. Although there was still, of course, Tretyakov himself, and other patrons, but that's not the point. The importance of Savva for art cannot be overestimated - that's what I wanted to say.

Savva really wanted to support his friend, the artist Vasnetsov, by giving him a good order. He came to the management of the Donetsk railway, of which he was a member, and convinced his colleagues that the best decoration of their office would be the work of Viktor Mikhailovich. They shook hands and Vasnetsov happily set to work.

Here it should be noted that Victor was a great lover of fairy tales and all kinds of Russian creativity and approached the order very creatively. “Three princesses of the underworld” were by the way not the only picture of the order, there was a couple more - “Flying Carpet” and “Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs”. And all the pictures, as you might guess, turned out to be very magical. And they would be good for ... a textbook, for example, or at least a gallery. But not an office where serious people solved serious problems. That's how the customers counted - and refused to buy paintings.

Well, Savva had to decide the issue. The paintings were purchased by the patron's family.

But let's dwell on the "Three Princesses" in more detail. What an interesting idea was born in the head of the artist. At that time, minerals began to be mined in the Donbas - gold, precious stones and coal. There is such a fairy tale - "Underground Kingdoms", that's what Vasnetsov took as a basis, adding the princess of coal. That is, in his picture he made such an interesting image of the wealth of this region, depicting them in the form of royalty. Just look at these women - gold, precious stones and coal! This is not a picture, but a whole performance!

Apparently, Vasnetsov (and not only) thought so, and in 884 he created a second version of this work, with minor changes. It was acquired by a philanthropist and collector from Kyiv Tereshchenko.

Now the painting "Three Princesses of the Underworld" adorns the walls of the Tretyakov Gallery, and for those who live in Moscow or visit the capital, I highly recommend considering the "girls" in more detail.

Viktor Vasnetsov

Three princesses of the underworld

background

The painting "Three princesses of the underworld" in 1880 was ordered to Viktor Vasnetsov by the industrialist and philanthropist Savva Mamontov.
Mamontov, one of the richest men in Moscow, had a passion for art. He was the owner of the Abramtsevo estate, one of the most important centers of Russian artistic life 1870–1910s.

Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Vrubel, Nicholas Roerich and other artists stayed and worked there.

Savva Ivanovich Mamontov (1841–1918)

In 1882, Mamontov built the Donetsk coal railway. The philanthropist decided to decorate the office of the board of the new enterprise with paintings of the young talented artist Viktor Vasnetsov.

Mamontov's son Vsevolod recalled these paintings: "The first picture was supposed to depict the distant past of the Donetsk region, the second - a fabulous way to travel and the third - the princesses of gold, precious stones and coal - a symbol of the richness of the bowels of the awakened land."

Vasnetsov wrote three works for Mamontov: "Three princesses of the underworld", "Flying carpet" and "Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs". However, the Board of the railway considered the plots not serious enough for the business environment of a large company, and the paintings from Vasnetsov were not accepted.

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Viktor Vasnetsov. Carpet plane. 1881. Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum, Nizhny Novgorod.
Viktor Vasnetsov. Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs. 1881. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Plot

The plot of the picture goes back to the Russian folk tale "Three Kingdoms - copper, silver and gold", known to the modern reader in several versions, edited by Alexander Afanasyev. In the fairy tale, Ivan Tsarevich descends into the underworld to free his mother, Tsarina Anastasia the Beautiful, who was kidnapped by the villain Raven Voronovich.

On the way, the prince meets the captives (in some editions of the tale - daughters) of the Crow - the Copper, Silver and Golden princesses. The girls tell Ivan how to free his mother, and in gratitude, the prince, returning from the underworld, takes them with him. Returning home, he marries the Golden Princess, and marries her younger sisters to their older brothers.

Fragment of the cover of the book "Russian folk tales» Alexandra Afanasieva

Author

Three paintings painted for Mamontov largely determined the further work of Viktor Vasnetsov - from that moment on he often turns to the plots of Russian folk tales and epics.

Thanks to the paintings "The Knight at the Crossroads", "Alyonushka", "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf", the artist gained recognition among collectors and patrons: Vasnetsov managed to embody the motives of Russian folklore in understandable modern man images.

It is no coincidence that he was instructed to design an extension of the main entrance hall to the building of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane, which has become the hallmark of the museum. The artist worked in the neo-Russian style, rethinking the motives of traditional Russian architecture.

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Self-portrait. Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (1848–1926). 1873. State Tretyakov Gallery
The project of the extension of the main entrance hall to the building of the Tretyakov Gallery, together with V. N. Bashkirov. 1899–1901 Moscow, Lavrushinsky lane

golden princess

According to the Russian folk tale "Three Kingdoms - copper, silver and gold", on the plot of which the artist relied, Golden is the most beautiful of the princesses of the underworld. When Ivan defeats Raven Voronovich, he frees all of his captives and marries the girl. Vasnetsov borrows only this character from the fairy tale, the other two images of princesses are not found in Russian folklore.

The golden princess is depicted dressed in a feryaz - a type of clothing common in pre-Petrine Russia with sleeves to the floor, in which there are slits for the hands. She has a koruna on her head - a headdress that only unmarried girls could wear (the top of her head remained open, which was unacceptable for a family woman). Usually the koruna was an element of the wedding attire.

North Russian (Novgorod, Arkhangelsk provinces) Koruna. XIX century. Collection of Natalia Shabelskaya

Princess of Precious Stones

The artist wanted to embody the wealth of the depths of the Donetsk region in the images of girls, so he creates a new image for Russian art - the princess of Precious Stones. Like the Golden Princess, the girl is dressed in a feryaz, under which is a long silk shirt. She has opiasts on her hands - an element of Russian national costume, and on the head - a low crown, which in central Russia was called "girl's beauty".

The second half of the 19th century is the era of historicism, when Russian artists carefully studied folk life, traditional costumes, and the folklore of their country. Although the painters were not always able to achieve historical accuracy in detail, they sought to convey the flavor of the era as accurately as possible in the works.

Morning of the archery execution. Fragment. Vasily Surikov. 1881. Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow. The Streltsy's wife is dressed in a feryaz, traditional for Rus', and the soldiers of Peter I are dressed in European costumes. So Surikov contrasts the fading Ancient Rus' which came to replace the Petrine era.

Princess of Stone Coal

Since the picture was intended for the office of the Board of the Railway, Vasnetsov considered it necessary to depict the princess of Stone Coal - "black gold" at that time ensured the movement of trains.

Senior princesses are dressed in Russian folk costumes, but on the younger one - a more modern fitted dress with a short sleeve (an old Russian beauty could not appear in public with open arms and an uncovered head).