Ivan Kramskoy (1837-1887) was a Russian painter specializing in portraits and genre paintings, one of the main instigators of the famous Revolt 14 at the Academy of Arts, when young graduates protested against the rigid orders and style of painting proposed by him in this educational institution. Kramskoy was the ideologist and organizer of the society of itinerant artists, in many ways it was at his suggestion that Russian artists began to write not only parade-pompous portraits of rich nobles and merchants, but also turned to the people, began to show the real life in all its unsightliness.
Portrait of Mina Moiseyev
His paintings were characterized by excellent psychology, restrained emotions and poses, impeccably constructed, but at the same time very simple composition, almost perfect resemblance to the customer of the portrait.
Portrait of Leo Tolstoy
Kramskoy did not lacquer reality like Konstantin Makovsky, was honest in his artwork and wrote as it really was. In this his portraits are similar to the artwork of our other wonderful artist Konstantin Korovin, who also did not tolerate falsity and embellishments to please the customer.
Unknown
One of the most famous paintings of Kramskoy - “Unknown”, written by him in 1883. In this article we will talk about this uncommon painting and try to understand who is actually depicted on it and why this picture can be considered indecent for the moral standards of Russia of the XIX century?
When Kramskoy painted the picture “Unknown” it immediately caused certain questions and discontent among many guardians of morality of that time. Even such an advanced and subtle understanding of art as entrepreneur, gallery owner and collector of paintings Pavel Tretyakov refused to buy this canvas. Too ambiguous and provocative image for the strict morality of the XIX century stranger turned out the artist. She is clearly unmarried, but dressed defiantly rich, wearing fashionable and expensive clothes. But this married women, as well as girls for marriage from decent families at that time could not afford. They dressed emphatically modestly, for example, we can cite the portrait of Vera Tretyakova - wife of the famous patron of arts and patrons of artists.
Portrait of Vera Tretiakova
She dressed modestly, if not poorly, although, understandably, she could afford any, the most expensive outfits. Even aristocrats did not wear jewelry, just a dress without any special frills, as in the portrait of Princess Maria Vorontsova artwork by artist Sergei Zaryanko.
Portrait of Princess Maria Vorontsova. Artist: Sergei Zaryanko
If a young and beautiful girl is dressed in the latest fashion, wears expensive jewelry and rides alone in a carriage, it can mean only one thing - she is the mistress of a wealthy gentleman or his keeper. No “decent” lady at that time could not travel alone, she had to be with her spouse or, if it was a young girl, with her parents or brothers, in extreme cases with maids and friends.
Art historian Irina Chizhova assumed that this is Ekaterina Dolgorukova, better known as Princess Yurievskaya. She was the mistress of Russian Emperor Alexander II for 14 years, and was able to marry him only after the death of his lawful wife Maria Alexandrovna.
Catherine Dolgorukova. 19th century photo
But they did not live long in marriage - Alexander II died from the explosion of a bomb of the Narodolovites. So, the man who freed the peasants from serfdom, was himself a victim of disgruntled revolutionaries and terrorists.
By the way, Irina Chizhova claimed that she saw in one magazine of the XIX century drawing of Yurievskaya, who was dressed exactly like the stranger in the painting by Kramsky. There is evidence that Alexander II ordered a portrait of his mistress Kramskoy, but the Emperor tragically died at the hands of the Narodolovtsy before the painting was ready. That is why Kramskoy changed the appearance and features of the “stranger”, it is almost impossible to recognize the princess in her.
But this is only one of the versions, there are others. Some suggest that the stranger - just an ordinary pretty girl from a peasant family, who was very lucky in life - she liked a rich merchant, and he bought her expensive clothes and jewelry, became her keeper. That's why she has such a haughty look - that's her happiness, she has made her way from dirt to princes. Though somewhere deep down, if she is not a complete fool - and you can't tell from the picture, her eyes are intelligent and perceptive - the stranger realizes that she is just an amusement for her patron. Time will pass, her beauty will fade or he will get bored with her, and he will have to live without rich gifts, but with a tarnished reputation as a “fallen woman”. Because while you can, you need to enjoy the moment, to take everything from life and more frugal attitude to gifts, save something for a rainy day, which is sure to be sooner or later.
And some particularly brave fans of all sorts of guesses and assumptions claimed that under the image of a stranger hides Kramskoy's own daughter Sophia Kramskoy.
Ivan Kramskoy. A girl with a cat. Portrait of his daughter.
But I do not believe that her father would paint his daughter in the image of a cocotte, the more so because at that time Sophia herself was going through a breakup with her fiancé, who had started a relationship with her friend. However, there is some resemblance, but probably Kramskoy, keeping in mind the image of his daughter, unintentionally gave the stranger in the picture some of her features. And he certainly did not wish his daughter the fate of a rich gentleman's keeper.
And there was also speculation that the stranger herself is not as wealthy as she seems at first glance. She was just beginning her journey of professional cocotte, and dressed “for the last” - she has cheap bracelets “under gold” and a homemade hat, which only looks rich. But this beauty has too self-confident look, and she looks down on the audience from above - Kramskoy masterfully built the composition from the height of a pedestrian looking at her with delight and adoration. Approximately so it could appear before the gaze of a poor student of art school or a boy-master teenager already beginning to look at pretty young ladies. But it is clear to everyone that she does not even pay attention to them - then it is necessary if there is a rich patron?
Stranger. fragment of a painting
One can see in this view a challenge to the whole sanctimonious “decent” society of the 19th century, in which a woman was assigned a completely insignificant role, and she must fully comply with all the strict, and not always feasible for a young, pleasure-loving girl, requirements.
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