The painting "Breakfast of the aristocrat" Fedorov. Description of the picture

Humor and satire occupy a special place in our lives. The desire to ridicule someone (both in a good and in an evil, cynical manner) is inherent in almost any person. Art is no exception. Poets, writers, artists and representatives of other creative professions devote their attention to everything ridiculous and absurd that can bring new colors to everyday life. The relevance of such motives took place in the cultural life of society many years ago.

In Russian satirical painting, Pavel Andreyevich Fedotov occupies a special place. “Breakfast of the aristocrat” is a painting also known under the author’s title “Out of Time Guest”, which is one of the most famous and recognizable works of the painter.

The life and fate of the artist

Pavel Andreyevich Fedotov was born on June 22 (July 4), 1815 in Moscow. His father was a retired officer and served in the Moscow Deanery Office. In 1826, Pavel became a pupil of the Moscow Cadet Corps, graduated with honors, and then served 10 years in the St. Petersburg Finland Regiment. At the same time, he was engaged in the drawing class of the Academy of Arts and soon became known in narrow circles due to his talent and regimental genre sketches that appeared from under his brush, humorous, romantic drawings, as well as portraits of colleagues. His work was approved not only by fellow soldiers, but also by the family of the emperor, especially the heir to the throne, Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich. Especially on his order two paintings were painted.

Having finished his service in 1844, Fedotov decided to devote himself entirely to creativity and continued to attend the Academy, namely the battle painting class . But she was not interested in him, and soon the artist began to work closely in a genre he referred to only as moral-critical scenes from modern life, to which the painting “Breakfast of the Aristocrat,” written in 1850, also belongs. Two years earlier, in 1848, he shows his work to Karl Pavlovich Bryullov, who gives them high marks and strongly supports Fedotov.

During his short life, Pavel Andreevich created canvases that became examples of everyday painting and ridiculed the whole essence of life of the privileged layers of modern society. He died on November 14 (26), 1852 in a mental hospital after an exacerbation of a mental illness and was buried in the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Creativity of Pavel Fedotov

As mentioned earlier, the main genre of the artist's works has become household. In 1846, he began to master the technique of oil painting in the process of working on the canvas "Fresh Cavalier". A year later, Pavel Andreevich painted the painting “The Legible Bride”, for which he was awarded the title of academician, and in the fall of 1848 the painting “The Matchmaking of the Major” was released, which brought him the primacy among the painters of everyday scenes.

In 1850 (from February to May) Fedotov was in Moscow, where the painting “Breakfast of the Aristocrat” was completed, work on which began in St. Petersburg. Later he wrote the painting “The Widow”, the plot of which was inspired by the death of the artist ’s sister’s husband . His last works were "Anchor, another anchor!" and "Players". After this, health was not allowed to work further, but what was created left a noticeable mark in the history of Russian painting.

History of creation

As mentioned earlier, in 1850, the artist finished one of his most famous paintings “Breakfast of the Aristocrat”. Fedotov’s painting, written after the resounding success of “Matchmaking of the Major”, was inspired by a feuilleton, whose author’s name remained unknown (presumably, it was then a young writer Ivan Goncharov): “Have you tried to accidentally come to such people home and force them to by surprise? ” This was very close to the artist, and the easiest move was to fully follow this statement. However, the painter did not succumb to the temptation, but captured the moment preceding this.

What do we see in the picture?

Undoubtedly, analysis deserves what is depicted on one of the most recognizable paintings, which was written by Pavel Fedotov, “Breakfast of the aristocrat.” The description of the picture in the brightest colors corresponds to what the artist carried through his work. This is ridicule of human vices in all their manifestations.

Looking at the canvas, we see a young nobleman, frightenedly covering a slice of black bread, which makes up his whole morning meal, at the sound of the footsteps of the intruder. The artist writes out the surroundings of the hero in all details: this is a box from under a printed deck of cards under the table, indicating a penchant for gambling; a book covering a simple breakfast in which one of the novels of fashion at that time was printed; posters of advertising of oysters and theatrical performances located on chairs (visiting the latter was a mandatory pastime for secular youth of that time); a nifty home dressing gown tailored to the latest Parisian fashion.

But the most eloquent element with which to complete the description of Fedotov’s painting “Aristocrat’s Breakfast” is an absolutely empty wallet turned inside out. The artist in his usual manner ridicules topics so beloved and close in spirit: human vanity, vanity, ostentatious life, carefully concealed wretchedness in the guise of external prosperity and splendor. It should be noted that the character shown on the canvas was characteristic of that time, which leaves no doubt about the relevance of the plot, which Fedotov addressed.

The fate of the work

Currently, the painting “Breakfast of the Aristocrat”, along with other significant works of the artist, is located in Moscow, in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane. At one time, Pavel Tretyakov, the founder of the museum, managed to collect some rare graphic works of the early period of Fedotov's work. Today they are stored in the gallery funds, but are not exhibited in the museum. Paintings, which came to the collection later, are included in the permanent exhibition. This is the painting “Breakfast of the Aristocrat,” which became the subject of consideration in this article, as well as the paintings “Matchmaking of the Major,” one of the copyright copies of “The Widows,” “Fresh Cavalier,” and “The Picky Bride.”

The value of the work of Pavel Fedotov in Russian painting

The importance of what this artist expressed in his works is hard to overestimate. He is rightly called the founder of such a genre in the visual arts as critical realism. In the process of his creative formation, he moved from piled up compositions characteristic of him at the very beginning with a huge number of details to simpler and more natural images. His canvases firmly rooted in art a new genre of satirical painting with a national touch, which gave rise to creativity for other young artists.