“Battle artist who openly shows all the horrors of war” – Kommersant FM

Kommersant FM columnist Pyotr Voronkov talks about the life and work of the artist, as well as his spouses.

We are leaving for Cherepovets today, to the family home of Vasily Vereshchagin. The world-famous artist was born here. Surprisingly, having traveled all over the world, Vasily Vasilyevich never created his own lasting home; all his houses perished mystically. There was an estate in Moscow with a large tower made of larch, but the artist was given raw wood, and the house had to be dismantled before the revolution.

Vereshchagin’s life was extremely eventful and bright – he, like a meteorite, rushed around the Earth and disappeared into the depths of the universe. One could admire or hate his works; they did not leave anyone indifferent. A battle painter who does not praise the war, but openly shows all its horrors… Military personnel were prohibited from visiting many of his exhibitions.

Once, the future Emperor Alexander III declared with youthful fervor: “His constant tendentiousness is disgusting to national pride, and one can conclude one thing from them: either Vereshchagin is a brute or a completely crazy person.”

The artist traveled a lot – throughout Europe, Asia, America, and was in the Philippines, Japan, and Cuba. He took part in battles, went on the attack, made sketches right on the battlefield, was wounded and St. George on the chest…

Together with his first wife, Elizabeth, he visited Syria and Palestine, India, Tibet, and the Himalayas. These were very dangerous trips. It is not known exactly why the couple separated. But here is an excerpt from a letter to her: “It seems that we are pushing water,” he wrote. “My trust in the fact that you can not succumb to temptation has been lost and will not return.” In view of this, I will never live with you again.”

Vereshchagin met his second wife, Lida, in America. The success there was enormous – the public tore down the fences to get to his exhibitions. Vereshchagin himself said: “It’s just that Americans love everything big – paintings, potatoes…” So, Lida, the future wife, provided musical accompaniment in the exhibition halls. She was a pianist. He also traveled with her later. Northern Dvina, White Sea, Solovki… Vasily Vasilyevich died on board the battleship Petropavlovsk, which ran into a Japanese mine near Port Arthur.