New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-29
RUSSIAN BATTLE PICTURES.
TIE WORK OF yrREsrCHAGIN.

THE WORK OF YEREsTCHAGIN.
An exhibition Of Russian realism In pictorial art
VIII be held in this city next fall. Mr. f. d. Mlllet
who is friend of Basil verestchagin. has arranged
for an exhibition OF the Russian battle painters pct
uros which will open season at the American Art
Galleries. These pictures have been exhibited In
various European capitals and at present In Lon
DON Up to 1879 scenes Of life in British India and
OF death In the Turco- Russian War formed the staple
OF tho artists work. and since that time NJ Verest-
chagin has made long visit to tho Holy Land which
resulted In a series of so-cslled religious pictures
dealing with tho life Of Christ. There Is cruel
fxion. to which a vague title has been given. and
there IS picture of carpenter ct work sur
rounded by several children. which Is supposed
to depict Joseph and "Jcsus with his Brothers
and Sisters" It was tho latter picture par
ticulary which caused clerical opposition. an
archiepiscopal nterdlct at Vienna. tho public alton
of pungent letters BIZ the realistic" artist. and a
general dc scandale These nlctures could be
omitted from tho exhibition in this city without loss.
vorestchagn's special and most characteristic work
IS graphic rendering OF the horrors OF war.
Verestchagin has been great traveller In Central
Asia. India, the Holy Laid and Bulgaria. and he saw
war at its worst in the Balkans and at the shipka
Pass during the TurcoR Russian campaign. He has
said: ain all my various travels have been par
ticularly struck by tho fact that even In our tme
people kill another everywhere under all pos
sible pretexts and by ovcry possible means"
commentator upon his pictures adds "When you
look at those Russian soldiers lying down In their
ranks beneath the tall spiral whlrls OF snow. when
you sec the priest blessing field OF the dead ana
housellng them, as their ancestors baptized
wholesale: when you watch neat British artillery
mon bio wing Hlndoos from guns. and Russians watch
ing q hanging In snowstorm. and Romans gathered
under the city wall round tho three crosses In
twilight OF terror, you begin to understand the pains
hfcbr ufIl fax N mHnD
of executing SepOys which Verestchagin has paint
ed was actually employed at the time of the Indian
Mutiny, but the picture has called forth some angry
denials in London. an verestchagins work. said
"The London News.' "strikes one as the novels OF
strike one with feeling Of the vast pessmlsm M, Oh
Russia The world as reflected through the medium a
OF his many sided art Is dreadful world OF toi anu
struggle, Of death and defeat"
@The London Standard, said Of NJ. yerestchagin:
"There are degrees OF realism. and this ARTIST INC
NJ lola in his description OF the provisions a. i les
II an artist in literature or painting determines to be
ugly nowadays, he becomes thereby reaiisS Sill NJ
Rs how p OF Seuf horror 1no so Sr and grim
the beauty so insignificant and small There Is
hardly s yvsT Of chosen n b1es and lines
wish to possess He is not fine coorst, not mo-
BILE or subtle draughtsman h aS at nf Sosrn' but
ono detached from artistic tradition and detern,nea
to paint the world as he sees It. orglnay u Vsrsst
chaeln 70 offer does not stand terribly IN need OF
being reinforced by all that in art OF any hno haAo'
truth acceptable"
Among tho works OF Vercstchagin which VIII DO e2
hbited his large picture OF skooelen rp rn
down tho lines OF battle at Shipka, picture rep,
resenting the wounded after the battle, one oi
frozen sentries Shlpka half buried In snow
Ali Quiet I'm the Bakans.r the Attack on Tellshch
and Priest Blessing the Dead After Battle pictures Oh
the interior Of the pearl mosque at Agra OF jews a. the
stone OF waIllng beneath sOlomons wall ana OF me
sea OF Gennes aret Russian execution of Nihllsts ana
several studies Of indian fe and architecture b az
largest OF these paintings shows tho trumphal pro
cessons of the Prince back through Jeypofe
and there pictures OF the Akbar,s MOnnmeht,,,
and the Interior OF the Mosque In Fuehpore, as well
as the large painting Of military execution In the In
dian duty :" Some OF Verestchagin's pictures are
Reisebder some historic docun eDts and few are
studies merely OF landscape as In Palestine AGAIN no
has perfect collection Of Theological typss-ngarl-
ans Roumanlans, Turks rabies and Hndoos'