To War | |
---|---|
Artist | Konstantin Savitsky |
Year | 1888 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 207,5 cm × 303,5 cm (817 in × 1,195 in) |
Location | Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg |
To War is a painting by the Russian artist Konstantin Savitsky (1844–1905), completed in 1888. It belongs to the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg (Inventory No. Zh-4228). The dimensions of the canvas are 207.5 × 303.5 cm.[1][2][3] Alternative titles are also used, including Sending Recruits Off to War[4][5] and Seeing Off to War.[6][7] The narrative revolves around the scene of soldiers going off to war, parting with their loved ones. It takes place during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.[8]
Savitsky commenced work on the painting, entitled To War, during the second half of the 1870s.[9] The initial version of the painting, completed in 1880, was exhibited at the 8th exhibition of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki).[10][11] The appearance of Savitsky's painting at the exhibition was met with a number of critical comments - in particular, that it was overloaded with too many figures.[12][13] The painting received positive reviews as well. For instance, the art critic Vladimir Stasov acknowledged that, "despite many shortcomings, there was a lot of truth and feeling in the painting".[14] Nevertheless, in response to the considerable criticism he had received, Savitsky decided to repaint the piece. As it turned out many years later, the initial iteration of the work was cut into pieces by the artist.[15]
The second and final iteration of the painting was presented at the 16th exhibition of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki),[16] which opened on 28 February (11 March) 1888 in St. Petersburg.[11][17] This time the painting was received more favourably: in particular, the artist Ilya Repin remarked that "Savitsky's painting 'To War' came out very well",[18] and the critic Vladimir Stasov wrote that it was "an important page in the history of Russian art".[19] Later, the art historian Mikhail Sokolnikov noted that Savitsky's To War was "one of the most significant paintings in the Russian realist school of painting".[6]