The painting "The Snow Maiden" was created by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov back in 1899. The master specially painted this picture in order to use it as scenery for staging the play of the same name by Ostrovsky, written for folk motives.
Folklore like a muse
The theme of the Snow Maiden went leitmotif through all the artist's work. In 1881-1882 - the scenery for the amateur play in the Mamontov’s house (based on the play of the same name by Ostrovsky), in 1885-1886 - again the scenery, but for the opera Snegurochka N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov.
Vasnetsov’s painting “The Snow Maiden” is only one of the manifestations of the artist’s interest in folk art. Initially, it was the inspiration for the painting. According to the motives of the Russian fairy tale, the attractive young girl Snow Maiden is a child of Frost and Spring. She represents purity, like white snow, but, alas, her cold soul did not know love at all. With all her might, the heart of a beautiful girl is trying to discover this unknown feeling. Unfortunately, by an evil irony of fate, just when the heart of the Snow Maiden is about to reveal love, she is destined to die. This is a pure creation, which combines earthly and unearthly qualities, so enchanted Vasnetsov’s soul that he embodied it on the canvas. So the idea came up, and soon the picture of Vasnetsov's “Snow Maiden” itself.
Critic reviews
The author of the picture was deeply imbued with the image of the Snow Maiden, and because of this he insisted on exposing the completeness of his understanding of the image of this winter beauty. I must say that contemporaries met this painting unkindly. Moments of poetic convention, and the whole picture of Vasnetsov's "Snow Maiden" caused controversy.
Critics and just spectators spoke about the inadmissibility of such free interpretations of folk stories. The painter was also blamed on the deliberate artistic techniques. The critic V. Stasov wrote: "There are very few natures, but too many conventions."
Cold beauty
The painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “The Snow Maiden” is executed in cold tones. Literally half of the canvas is occupied by the purest untouched snow, it is depicted in the foreground. According to the artist’s plan, this snow should reflect the purity of the girl’s soul and at the same time the cold of her heart. But the image of the Snow Maiden is written in motion, she enters the clearing of the winter forest, looking around, as if she wants to recognize something in the landscape that has opened. Her pretty face exudes purity and tenderness. V. Vasnetsov supplemented the image of a young girl with a wonderful fur coat made of expensive material - brocade. The image ends with a wonderful hat that gives the Snow Maiden even greater purity and tenderness. She is charming, even nature admires her beauty. Vasnetsov’s painting “The Snow Maiden” has another “highlight” - the snow is illuminated by an unknown light. So the author wants to emphasize the attractiveness of the young girl even more.
It should also be noted the mystery of the forest, depicted in the background, gives the impression of the depths of the Russian soul, which is really impossible to understand with the mind. In the depths of the picture you can see houses, which makes the picture even more holistic.
The embodiment of folk beauty
It was in the image of the Snow Maiden that the master V. M. Vasnetsov unusually managed to embody his understanding of real female beauty. The artist, with particular attention, approached the choice of a model that was supposed to personify folk beauty, simplicity and at the same time significance. His choice fell on Sasha - the daughter of S. Mamontov. This extraordinary work of the author still amazes all viewers with its penetration and depth of feelings. And those feelings that inspire the description of Vasnetsov’s painting “The Snow Maiden” are like a wonderful fairy tale.