Composition based on the painting “Three princesses of the underworld. Description of the painting by artist Vasnetsov three princesses of the underworld The author of the painting 3 princesses of the underworld

V. Vasnetsov. Three princesses of the underworld

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there was a king Bel Belianin; he had a wife Nastasya a golden braid and three sons: Peter the Tsarevich, Vasily Tsarevich and Ivan Tsarevich. The queen went for a walk in the garden with her mothers and nannies. Suddenly a strong whirlwind rose - as my God! grabbed the queen and carried her away to no one knows where. The tsar was saddened and twisted and did not know what to do. The princes grew up and he says to them: “My dear children! Which of you will go and find your mother? "

The two eldest sons got together and drove off; and after them the younger one began to ask his father. “No,” says the king, “you, son, do not go! Don't leave me alone, old man. " - “Allow me, father! Fear how you want to wander around the world and find mother. " The tsar dissuaded, dissuaded, could not dissuade: “Well, there is nothing to do, go; God is with you!"

Ivan Tsarevich saddled his good horse and set off on the road. Rode-rode, whether long or short; soon the tale tells itself, but not soon the work is done; comes to the forest. The richest palace stands in that forest. Ivan Tsarevich drove into the wide courtyard, saw the old man and said: "Hello for many years, old man!" - "Welcome! Who is this, good fellow? " - "I am Ivan Tsarevich, the son of Tsar Bel Belianin and Tsarina Nastasya of the golden braid." - “Oh, my dear nephew! Where is God taking you? " “Yes and so,” he says, “I'm going to look for my mother. Can't you tell me, uncle, where to find her? " “No, nephew, I don’t know. What I can, so I will serve you; here's a ball, throw it in front of you; it will roll and lead you to steep, high mountains. There is a cave in those mountains, enter it, take iron claws, put on your hands and feet and climb the mountains; Perhaps there you will find your mother Nastasya a golden braid. "

That's good. Ivan Tsarevich said goodbye to his uncle and let a ball in front of him; the ball rolls, rolls, and he goes after it. Whether for a long time or a short time, he sees: his brothers Peter Tsarevich and Vasily Tsarevich are camped in an open field, and many troops are with them. The brothers intervened: “Bah! Where are you, Ivan Tsarevich? " “Why,” he says, “I missed home and decided to go to look for my mother. Let the army go home and let us go together. " They did so; released the army and went three of us for the ball. From a distance they still saw the mountains - so steep, high, as my God! the tops rested against the sky. The ball rolled straight to the cave; Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse and said to his brothers: “Here, brothers, my good horse; I'll go to the mountains to look for my mother, but you stay here; wait for me exactly three months, but I will not be in three months - and there is nothing to wait! " The brothers think: "How to climb these mountains, but then break your head!" "Well," they say, "go with God, and we will wait here."

Ivan Tsarevich approached the cave, saw - the iron door, pushed with all his might - the door opened; entered there - iron claws on his hands and feet put on his own. He began to climb the mountains, climbed, climbed, worked for a whole month, climbed upward by force. "Well," he says, "thank God!" I rested a little and went up the mountains; walked, walked, walked, looked - a copper palace stood, at the gate terrible snakes on copper chains were chained, and swarmed! And beside the well, by the well, a copper base hangs on a copper chain. Ivan Tsarevich took some water and gave the snakes to drink; they calmed down, lay down, and he went into the palace.

The queen jumps out to him of the copper kingdom: "Who is this, good fellow?" - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - “What,” he asks, “came here, Ivan Tsarevich, willingly or involuntarily?” - “By your hunt; looking for my mother Nastasya a golden braid. Some whirlwind kidnapped her from the garden. Do you know where she is? " - "No, I do not know; but not far from here lives my middle sister, the queen of the silver kingdom; maybe she will tell you. " She gave him a copper ball and a copper ring. “The ball,” he says, “will bring you to the middle sister, and in this ringlet the whole copper kingdom consists. When you defeat the Whirlwind, which keeps me here and flies to me every three months, then do not forget me poor - free me from here and take with you to the free light. " - “Good,” Ivan Tsarevich answered, took and threw a copper ball - the ball rolled, and the Tsarevich followed him.

He comes to the silver kingdom and sees the palace better than before - all silver; at the gate, terrible snakes on silver chains are chained, and next to it is a well with a silver casing. Ivan Tsarevich drew water, gave the snakes to drink - they lay down and let him into the palace. The queen of the silver kingdom comes out: “Soon it will be three years,” he says, “as the mighty Whirlwind keeps me here; I have never heard of the Russian spirit, I have not seen it by sight, but now the Russian spirit is happening with my own eyes. Who is this, good fellow? " - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - "How did you get here - by your desire, or involuntarily?" - “By my own desire, I am looking for my mother; She went for a walk in the green garden, when the Whirlwind rose and dashed her away from somewhere. Do you know where to find her? " - "No, I do not know; and not far away lives here my elder sister, the queen of the golden kingdom, Elena the Beautiful; maybe she will tell you. Here's a silver ball for you, roll it in front of you and follow it; he will lead you to the golden kingdom. Look how you kill the Whirlwind - do not forget me poor; summon from here and take with you to the free light; Whirlwind keeps me imprisoned and flies to me every two months. " Then she gave him a silver ring: "In this ring the whole silver kingdom consists!" Ivan Tsarevich rolled the ball: where the ball rolled, he went there too.

For a long time, or for a short time, I saw - the golden palace stood, like the heat burns; terrible snakes are swarming at the gates - chained on golden chains, and near the well, at the well, a golden core hangs on a golden chain. Ivan Tsarevich drew water with a crust and watered the snakes; they lay down, calmed down. The prince enters the palace; Elena the Beautiful meets him: "Who is this, good fellow?" - "I am Ivan Tsarevich." - "How did you come here - whether by your own desire or involuntarily?" - “I went in hunting; looking for my mother Nastasya a golden braid. Do you know where to find her? " - “How not to know! She lives not far from here, and Whirlwind flies to her once a week, and to me once a month. Here is a golden ball for you, roll it in front of you and follow it - it will lead you where you need it; but take a golden ring - in this ring the whole golden kingdom consists! Look, tsarevich: how will you defeat the Whirlwind, do not forget me poor, take me to the free light. " - "Okay," he says, "I'll take it!"

Ivan Tsarevich rolled the ball and went after him: he walked, walked, and comes to such a palace as my God! - and burns in diamonds and semi-precious stones. Six-headed snakes hiss at the gate; Ivan Tsarevich gave them drink, the snakes calmed down and let him into the palace. The prince passes by in large chambers and in the farthest he finds his mother: she sits on a high throne, dressed in royal attire, crowned with a precious crown. She looked at the guest and cried out: “Oh, my God! Are you my beloved son? How did you get here? " - "So and so," he says, "I came for you." - “Well, sonny, it will be difficult for you! After all, here on the mountains an evil, mighty Whirlwind reigns, and all spirits obey him; he carried me away too. You have to fight him! Let's go to the cellar as soon as possible.

They went down to the cellar. There are two kadis with water: one on the right hand, the other on the left. Queen Nastasya the golden braid says: "Drink some water that is on the right." Ivan Tsarevich drank. "Well, how much power do you have?" - "Yes, so strong that I will turn the whole palace with one hand." - "Come on, drink some more." The prince drank still. "How much strength do you have now?" - "Now I want to - I will turn the whole world." - “Oh, that's a lot! Move these kadis from place to place: the one that is on the right, take it to your left hand, and the one to the left, take it to your right hand. " Ivan Tsarevich took the cadi and moved it from place to place. “You see, my dear son: in one kadi there is strong water, in the other it is powerless; whoever gets drunk first will be a powerful bogatyr, and whoever drinks second will completely weaken. The whirlwind always drinks strong water and places it on the right side; so you have to deceive him, otherwise you cannot cope with him! "

We returned to the palace. “Soon the Whirlwind will arrive,” the queen says to Ivan Tsarevich. - Sit down with me under the purple so that he does not see you. And when the Whirlwind arrives and rushes to hug and kiss me, you and grab him by the club. He will rise high, high, and will carry you over the seas and over the abysses, do not let go of the club. The whirlwind will die out, want to drink strong water, go down to the cellar and rush to the cadi on the right hand, and you drink from the cadi on the left hand. Then he will be completely exhausted, you grab his sword and chop off his head with one blow. When you cut off his head, they will immediately shout from behind you: "Cut it again, cut it again!" And you, son, do not chop, but in response say: "The hero's hand does not hit twice, but all at once!"

Only Ivan Tsarevich had time to hide under the purple, when suddenly it got dark in the yard, everything around began to shake; Whirlwind flew in, hit the ground, became a good fellow and enters the palace; in his hands is a battle mace. "Fu Fu Fu! What does your Russian spirit smell like? Who was visiting? " The queen answers: "I don't know why you are so surrendered." The whirlwind rushed to embrace and kiss her, and Ivan Tsarevich immediately behind the club. "I will eat you!" Whirlwind shouted at him. "Well, the grandmother said in two: either eat it or not!" The whirlwind rushed - through the window and into the skies; he wore, wore Ivan Tsarevich - and over the mountains: "Hey," he says, "I'll hurt you?" and over the seas: "I want, - threatens, - will I drown?" Only no, the prince does not let go of the club.

All the light Whirlwind flew out, starved and began to descend; I went down straight into the cellar, ran up to the cadi that stood on my right hand, and let's drink powerless water, and Ivan Tsarevich rushed to the left, drank strong water and became the first mighty hero in the whole world. He sees that the Whirlwind is completely weak, grabbed his sharp sword and at once and cut off his head. They shouted behind the voice: "Cut it again, cut it again, otherwise it will come to life." “No,” the prince answers, “the hero's hand does not hit twice, but it ends all at once!” Now he has spread the fire, burned his body and head and scattered the ashes in the wind. Ivan Tsarevich's mother is so happy! “Well,” he says, “my beloved son, let’s have fun, we’ll have some food, but how could we get home as soon as possible; but it’s boring here, there’s no people there. ” - "Who is serving here?" - "But you'll see." They just thought of eating, now the table is being laid by itself, various dishes and wines are on the table themselves; The tsarina and the tsarevich are having dinner, and the invisible music plays wonderful songs for them. They ate and drank, they rested; Ivan Tsarevich says: “Come, mother, it's time! After all, the brothers are waiting for us under the mountains. Yes, on the way it is necessary to save the three queens, that they lived here near the Whirlwind.

We took everything we needed and set off on our way; first they went for the queen of the golden kingdom, then for the queen of silver, and then for the queen of the brazen kingdom; they took them with them, took canvases and all sorts of things, and soon came to the place where it was necessary to descend from the mountains. Ivan Tsarevich put down on the canvas first his mother, then Elena the Beautiful and her two sisters. The brothers are standing below - they are waiting, but they themselves think: "We will leave Ivan Tsarevich upstairs, and we will take the mother and the queens to their father and say that we have found them." “I will take Helen the Beautiful for myself,” says Peter Tsarevich, “you will take the Queen of the Silver Kingdom, Vasily Tsarevich; and we will give up the queen of the copper state even for a general. "

This is how Ivan Tsarevich had to descend from the mountains, the older brothers took up the canvases, jerked and completely tore them off. Ivan Tsarevich remained on the mountains. What to do? He wept bitterly and went back; I walked, walked in the brazen kingdom, and in silver, and in gold - there is not a soul. Comes to the diamond kingdom - there is also no one. Well, what's one? Mortal boredom! Lo and behold - there is a pipe on the window. He took her in his hands. "Give," he says, "I'll play out of boredom." He just whistled - jump out lame and crooked; "Anything, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "I am hungry". Immediately, out of nowhere - the table is set, on the table are the very first wines and dishes. Ivan Tsarevich has eaten and thinks: "Now it would not be bad to rest." He whistled through a pipe, appeared lame and crooked: "Anything, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "Yes, so that the bed is ready." I did not have time to pronounce it, and the bed was made - which is the best.

So he lay down, slept well, and again whistled through his pipe. "Anything?" - ask him lame and crooked. "So, everything is okay?" - asks the prince. “Everything is possible, Ivan Tsarevich! Whoever whistles this whistle, we will do everything for that. As they used to serve Whirlwind, now they are glad to serve you; you just need this pipe to always be with you. " “It’s good,” says Ivan Tsarevich, “so that I now become in my state!” He just said, and at that very moment he found himself in his state in the middle of the market. Here he walks through the bazaar; the shoemaker is coming towards - such a merry fellow! The prince asks: "Where, little man, are you going?" - “Yes, I am carrying the cribs2 to sell; I'm a shoemaker. " - "Take me to your apprentice." - "Do you know how to sew shavers?" - “Yes, anything, I can; if not the shawls, and I'll sew the dress. " - "Well, let's go!"

They came home; the shoemaker says: “Well, make it! Here is your very first product; I'll see how you can. " Ivan Tsarevich went to his little room, took out a pipe, whistled - a lame and crooked appeared: "Anything, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "So that the shoes are ready by tomorrow." - "Oh, this is a service, not a service!" - "Here is the product!" - “What is this product? Rubbish - that's all! We must throw it out the window. " The next day, the prince wakes up, on the table there are beautiful shoes, the very first ones. The owner also got up: "Well done, did you sew your shoes?" - "Ready". - "Come on, show me!" He looked at the shoes and gasped: “This is how I got the master for myself! Not a master, but a miracle! " He took these shoes and carried them to the market to sell.

At this very time, three weddings were being prepared for the tsar: Peter the Tsarevich was going to marry Helen the Beautiful, Vasily Tsarevich - the Queen of the Silver Kingdom, and the Queen of the Copper Kingdom was given for a general. They began to buy outfits for those weddings; for Elena the Beautiful, they needed the skullcaps. Our shoemaker had the best slippers; brought him to the palace. Elena the Beautiful as she glanced: “What is this? - is talking. "Only on the mountains can they make such shoes." She paid the shoemaker dearly and ordered: “Make me another pair of shanks without measurement, so that they are wonderfully sewn, trimmed with precious stones, set with diamonds. Yes, so that they are in time by tomorrow, or else - to the gallows! "

The shoemaker took money and precious stones; goes home - so cloudy. “Trouble! - is talking. - What will we do? Where to sew such shoes for tomorrow, and even without measurements? Apparently they will hang me tomorrow! Let me take a walk with my friends in grief at least. I went into a tavern; He had a lot of friends, so they ask: "Why are you, brother, gloomy?" - "Oh, dear friends, because tomorrow they will hang me!" - "Why so?" The shoemaker told his grief: “Where can you think about work? We'd better take a walk at last. " They drank and drank, walked and walked, the shoemaker was already swinging. “Well,” he says, “I'll take a keg of wine home and go to bed. And tomorrow, as soon as they come for me to hang, now I will blow out half a bucket; let them hang me without memory. " Comes home. "Well, cursed one," he says to Ivan Tsarevich, "this is what your skullcaps have done ... so and so ... in the morning, when they come for me, now wake me up."

At night, Ivan Tsarevich took out his pipe, whistled - they appeared lame and crooked: "Anything, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "So that such and such shoes were ready." - "Listen!" Ivan Tsarevich went to bed; wakes up in the morning - the shoes are on the table, like the heat burns. He goes to wake the owner: “Master! It's time to get up. " - “What, did they come for me? Hurry up a barrel of wine, here's a mug - pour it; let the drunk be hanged. " - "Yes, the shoes are ready." - “How are you ready? Where are they? - The owner ran and looked: - Oh, when did we do this? - "Yes at night, really, master, don't you remember how we cut and sewed?" - “I fell asleep completely, brother; I remember a little! "

He took his shoes, wrapped it, and runs to the palace. Elena the Beautiful saw the shoes and guessed: "It is true, this is Ivan Tsarevich's perfume doing." - "How did you do it?" - she asks the shoemaker "Yes, I," she says, "I can do everything!" “If so, make me a wedding dress so that it is embroidered with gold, studded with diamonds and precious stones. Yes, so that in the morning it was ready, otherwise - off with your head! " The shoemaker is walking again, gloomy, and his friends have been waiting for him for a long time: "Well?" - “Why,” he says, “one curse! Here the translator appeared to the Christian family, ordered to sew a dress with gold, with stones by tomorrow. What a tailor I am! Certainly tomorrow they will remove my head from me. " - "Eh, brother, the morning is wiser than the evening: let's go for a walk."

Let's go to the tavern, drink and walk. The shoemaker got drunk again, brought home a whole barrel of wine and said to Ivan Tsarevich: “Well, kid, tomorrow, as soon as you wake up, I'll blow out a whole bucket; let the drunk chop off the head! And I can't even make such a dress in my life. " The owner went to bed, began to snore, and Ivan Tsarevich whistled through his pipe - they appeared lame and crooked: "Anything, Tsarevich?" - "Yes, so that by tomorrow the dress was ready - exactly the same as Elena the Beautiful wore at Whirlwind." - “Listen! Will be ready". How the light woke up Ivan Tsarevich, and the dress lay on the table, how the heat burns - this is how the whole room lit up. Here he wakes up the owner, he ripped open his eyes: “What, they came for me - to cut my head? Hurry up the wine! " - "Why, the dress is ready ..." - "Oh! When did we have time to sew? " - “Yes at night, don't you remember? You cut it yourself. " - “Oh, brother, I remember a little; as in a dream I see. " The shoemaker took the dress and ran to the palace.

Here Elena the Beautiful gave him a lot of money and ordered: “Look that tomorrow by dawn, at the seventh verst on the sea, there would be a golden kingdom and that a golden bridge would be made from there to our palace, that bridge would be covered with expensive velvet, and there would be wonderful trees and songbirds sang in different voices. If you do not do it by tomorrow - I will order you to be quadrupled! " The shoemaker went from Elena the Beautiful and hung his head. Friends meet him: "What, brother?" - “What! I am lost, tomorrow to quadruple me. She asked such a service that she won't do the devil. " - “Eh, that's enough! The morning is wiser than the evening; let's go to the tavern. " - “And then let's go! Finally, you have to have some fun. "

So they drank and drank; the shoemaker got drunk until evening that they brought him home by the arms. "Goodbye, kid!" - he says to Ivan Tsarevich. "They'll execute me tomorrow." - "Ali set a new service?" - "Yes, like this and so!" I lay down and snored; and Ivan Tsarevich immediately went to his room, whistled a pipe - they appeared lame and crooked: "Anything, Ivan Tsarevich?" - "Can you do me this kind of service ..." - "Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, this is a service! Well, there’s nothing to do — everything will be ready by morning ”. The next day it was getting a little light, Ivan Tsarevich woke up, looking out the window - Father's lights! Everything is done as it is: the golden palace burns like heat. He wakes up the owner; he jumped up: “What? Al came for me? Give the wine quickly! Let the drunk be executed. " - "Why, the palace is ready." - "What are you!" The shoemaker looked out the window and gasped in surprise: "How did this happen?" - "Don't you remember how we made things?" - “Oh, apparently I fell asleep; I remember a little! "

They ran to the golden palace - there is unprecedented and unheard of wealth. Ivan Tsarevich says: “Here's a wing for you, master; go, sweep the railings on the bridge, and if they come and ask: who is this living in the palace? “Don't say anything, just give this note.” That's good, the shoemaker went and began to sweep the railings on the bridge. In the morning Elena the Beautiful woke up, saw the golden palace and now ran to the king: “Look, your majesty, what is happening here; a golden palace has been built on the sea, a bridge stretches seven miles from that palace, and around the bridge wonderful trees grow, and songbirds sing in different voices. "

The Tsar is now sending to ask: “What would that mean? Is it not a hero who approached his state? " The sent ones came to the shoemaker, they began to question him; he says: "I do not know, but I have a note to your king." In this note, Ivan Tsarevich told his father everything as it was: how he freed his mother, got Elena the Beautiful and how his older brothers deceived. Together with the note, Ivan Tsarevich sends golden carriages and asks the Tsar and Tsarina, Elena the Beautiful with her sisters, to come to him; and let the brothers be brought back in simple logs.

All immediately gathered and drove off; Ivan Tsarevich greeted them with joy. The tsar wanted to tell the elder sons for their lies, but Ivan Tsarevich begged his father, and forgiveness came to them. Then the mountain feast began; Ivan Tsarevich married Elena the Beautiful, for Peter Tsarevich he gave the Queen of the Silver State, for Vasily Tsarevich he gave the Queen of the Copper State, and made a shoemaker a general. I was also at that feast, drinking honey and wine, flowing down my mustache, not getting into my mouth.

In 1880-1881 Savva Mamontov ordered three paintings to Viktor Vasnetsov for the office of the board of the Donetsk Railway.
Vasnetsov wrote "Three princesses of the underworld", "Flying carpet" and "The battle of the Scythians with the Slavs." The picture is based on a fairy tale. The painting "Three princesses of the underground kingdom" personifies the richness of the bowels of Donbass, for which the plot of the tale has been slightly changed - it depicts a princess of coal.

Viktor Vasnetsov.
Three princesses of the underworld.
1879. First option. Canvas, oil. 152.7 x 165.2.
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.

The board members did not accept Vasnetsov's work on a fairy-tale theme as inappropriate for the office space. In 1884, Vasnetsov wrote another version of the picture, slightly changing the composition and color. The picture is acquired by the Kiev collector and patron I.N. Tereshchenko.
In the new version, the position of the hands of the princess of coal has changed, now they lay along the body, which made the figure calm and dignified.
In the painting "Three princesses of the underworld" one of the characters - the third, youngest princess - will be further developed in female characters. The latent emotional sadness of this humbly proud girl will be found both in his portraits and in fictional images.

Underground kingdoms
Russian folktale

At that ancient time, when the world was filled with goblin, witches and mermaids, when rivers were flowing milk, the banks were jelly, and fried partridges flew across the fields, at that time there was a king named Pea with Queen Anastasia the Beautiful; they had three prince sons.

And suddenly a great misfortune shook - an unclean spirit dragged the queen away. The eldest son says to the tsar: "Father, bless me, I will go to look for mother!" I went and disappeared; For three years there was no news or rumor about him. The second son began to ask: "Father, bless me on the road, maybe I'll be lucky enough to find both my brother and mother!" The king blessed; he went and also disappeared - as if he had sunk into the water.

The youngest son, Ivan Tsarevich, comes to the tsar: "My dear father, bless me on my way, maybe I will find both my brothers and my mother!" - "Go, son!"

Ivan Tsarevich set off on an alien side; I drove and drove and came to the blue sea, stopped at the shore and thought: "Where should I keep my way now?" Suddenly thirty-three spoonbills flew into the sea, hit the ground and became red maidens - all are good, and one is the best; undressed and threw themselves into the water. How many or how many they swam - Ivan Tsarevich crept up, took from the girl who was the most beautiful of all, a sash and hid it in his bosom.

The girls bathed, went ashore, began to dress - one sash was missing. "Ah, Ivan Tsarevich," says the beauty, "give me the sack!" - "Tell me first, where is my mother?" - "Your mother lives with my father - with Voron Voronovich. Go up the sea, you come across a silver bird - a golden crest: wherever she flies, there you go!"

Ivan Tsarevich gave her the couch and went up the sea; then he met his brothers, greeted them and took them with him.

They walked along the shore, saw a silver bird - a golden crest and ran after it. The bird flew, flew and threw itself under the iron plate, into the underground pit. "Well, brothers," says Ivan Tsarevich, "bless me instead of my father, instead of my mother: I will sink into this pit and find out what a non-faith land is, is it not there our mother!" The brothers blessed him, he tied himself with a rope, and climbed into that deep hole, and descended neither more nor less - exactly three years; went down and went the way, the way.

Walked, walked, walked, walked, I saw a copper kingdom: thirty-three maidens-spoonbills were sitting in the yard, embroidering towels with cunning patterns - cities with suburbs. "Hello, Ivan Tsarevich!" Says the princess of the copper kingdom. "Where are you going, where are you holding your way?" - "I'm going to look for my mother!" - "Your mother is with my father, Voron Voronovich; he is cunning and wise, over the mountains, over the valleys, over nativity scenes, over the clouds! He will kill you, a good fellow! Here is a ball for you, go to my middle sister - that she will tell you. And you go back, don't forget me! "

Ivan Tsarevich rolled the ball and followed him. He comes to the silver kingdom, and there are thirty-three spoonbill girls. Says the princess of the silver kingdom: "It was not a sight to see the Russian spirit beforehand, it was impossible to hear it, but now the Russian spirit manifests itself with your own eyes! What, Ivan Tsarevich, do you louse from business or torture business?" - "Oh, red maiden, I'm going to look for my mother!" - "Your mother is with my father, Voron Voronovich; and he is cunning, and wise, he flew over the mountains, over the valleys, over nativity scenes, over the clouds rushed! Eh, prince, he will kill you! Here is a ball for you, go you to my younger sister - what will she tell you: whether to go forward, or return? "

Ivan Tsarevich comes to the golden kingdom, and thirty-three maidens are sitting here, embroidering towels. The princess of the golden kingdom is better than all the above, all the better - such a beauty that you cannot say in a fairy tale or write with a pen. She says: "Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Where are you going, where are you holding your way?" - "I'm going to look for my mother!" - "Your mother is with my father, Voron Voronovich; and he is cunning, and he is muder, he flew over the mountains, over the valleys, over nativity scenes, over the clouds. Oh, prince, he will kill you! You have a ball on you, go to the pearl kingdom : your mother lives there. Seeing you, she will rejoice and immediately order: "Nurses, mothers, give my son green wine!" Do not forget also: my father has two vats of water in the yard - one is strong and the other is weak; move them from place to place and drink strong water; and when you fight Voron Voronovich and defeat him, ask him only for a piece. -feather ".

For a long time the tsarevich and the princess talked and fell in love with each other so much that they did not want to part, but there was nothing to do - Ivan Tsarevich said goodbye and set off on the road.

Shel-walked, comes to the pearl kingdom. His mother saw him, was delighted and shouted: "Nurse mothers! Give my son green wine!" - "I do not drink plain wine, serve me a three-year-old, but a burnt crust for a snack!" The tsarevich drank three-year-old wine, took a bite of the burning crust, went out into the wide courtyard, moved the vats from place to place and began to drink strong water.

Suddenly Voron Voronovich arrives; he was bright as a clear day, but he saw Ivan Tsarevich - and became gloomier than the dark night; went down to the vat and began to draw powerless water.

Meanwhile, Ivan Tsarevich fell on his wings; Voron Voronovich soared high, high, wore it along the valleys, and over the mountains, and over nativity scenes, and over the clouds and began to ask: "What do you need, Ivan Tsarevich? Do you want to give it a treasury?" - "I don’t need anything, just give me a little bit of a feather!" - "No, Ivan Tsarevich! It hurts to sit in a wide sleigh!"

And again the Raven carried him over the mountains and over the valleys, over nativity scenes and clouds. And Ivan Tsarevich holds on tight; put on with all his weight and almost broke his wings. Voron Voronovich cried out: "Don't break my wings, take the feather-stick!" I gave the tsarevich a little bit of a feather, he himself became a simple raven and flew to the steep mountains.

And Ivan Tsarevich came to the kingdom of pearls, took his mother and went on the way back; looks - the pearl kingdom curled up into a ball and rolled after it.

He came to the golden kingdom, then to the silver one, and then to the copper one, took three beautiful princesses with him, and those kingdoms curled up into balls and rolled after them. He approached the rope and trumpeted into the golden trumpet: "Brothers, dear ones! If you are alive, do not betray me!"

The brothers heard the trumpet, grabbed the rope and pulled out into the white light a soul - a red maiden, a princess of the copper kingdom; saw her and began to quarrel among themselves: one does not want to give her up to another. "Why are you fighting, good fellows! There is a red maiden even better than me!" - says the princess of the copper kingdom.

The princes lowered the rope and pulled out the princess of the silver kingdom. Again they began to argue and fight; one says: "Let me get it!" And the other: "I don't want to! Let mine be!" - "Do not quarrel, good fellows, there is an even more beautiful girl there", - says the princess of the silver kingdom.

The princes stopped fighting, lowered the rope and pulled out the princess of the golden kingdom. They began to quarrel again, but the beautiful princess immediately stopped them: "Your mother is waiting there!"

They pulled out their mother and lowered the rope after Ivan Tsarevich; lifted him up to half and cut the rope. Ivan Tsarevich flew into the abyss and was badly hurt - for six months he lay without memory; When he woke up, he looked around, remembered everything that had become with him, took out a little feather from his pocket and hit it on the ground. At the same moment twelve fellows appeared: "What, Ivan Tsarevich, will you order?" - "Take me out into the open!" The fellows grabbed him by the arms and carried him out into the open.

Ivan Tsarevich began to scout about his brothers and found out that they had been married long ago: the princess from the Copper Kingdom married her middle brother, the princess from the Silver Kingdom married her older brother, and his betrothed bride did not go for anyone. And the old father himself decided to marry her: he gathered a thought, accused his wife of keeping the council with evil spirits, and ordered her to be cut off; after the execution he asks the princess from the golden kingdom: "Are you going to marry me?" - "Then I will go for you when you sew me shoes without measure!"

The tsar ordered to call the cry, to ask each and every one: would anyone sew the princess's shoes without a measure? At that time, Ivan Tsarevich comes to his state, hires an old man as a worker and sends him to the Tsar: "Go, grandfather, take on this business. I will sew your shoes for you, but don't tell me!" The old man went to the king: "I am ready to take on this work!"

The king gave him goods for a pair of shoes and asks: "Will you please, old man?" - "Do not be afraid, sir, my son is a chebotar!"

Returning home, the old man gave the goods to Tsarevich Ivan, who cut the goods into pieces, threw them out the window, then opened the golden kingdom and took out the finished shoes: "Here, grandfather, take them, take them to the tsar!"

The tsar was delighted, he pesters the bride: "Is it soon to go to the crown?" She replies: "Then I will go for you when you sew" me a dress without measurements! "

The tsar is busy again, gathers all the artisans to him, gives them a lot of money, only to sew a dress without measure. Ivan Tsarevich says to the old man: "Grandpa, go to the Tsar, take the fabric, I'll sew you a dress, just don't tell me!"

The old man trudged off to the palace, took the satin and velvet, returned home and gave it to the prince. Ivan Tsarevich immediately cut all the satin and velvet into shreds with scissors and threw it out the window; He opened the golden kingdom, took from there whatever the best dress was and gave it to the old man: "Bring it to the palace!"

King radekhonek: "What, my beloved bride, isn't it time for us to go to the crown?" The princess answers: "Then I will marry you, when you take the old man's son and order him to boil it in milk!" The king did not hesitate, gave the order - and on the same day they collected milk from all the courtyards, poured a large vat and boiled it over high heat.

Ivan Tsarevich was brought; he began to say goodbye to everyone, to bow to the ground; they threw him into a vat: he dived once, another dived, jumped out and became such a handsome man that he could neither say in a fairy tale nor write with a pen. The princess says: "Look, tsar! Whom shall I marry: for you, the old one, or for him, the good fellow?" The king thought: "If I bathe in milk too, I will become just as handsome!" He threw himself into a vat and boiled in milk.

And Ivan Tsarevich went with the princess to get married; got married, he sent his brothers out of the kingdom and began to live with the princess and make good money.

Vasnetsov V.M. Three princesses of the underworld.
1884. Second option. Canvas, oil. 173 x 295. Museum of Russian Art, Kiev, Ukraine.

Viktor Vasnetsov

Three princesses of the underworld

Background

The painting "Three princesses of the underworld" in 1880 was commissioned to Viktor Vasnetsov by the industrialist and philanthropist Savva Mamontov.
Mamontov, one of the richest men in Moscow, was passionate about art. He was the owner of the Abramtsevo estate, one of the most important centers of Russian artistic life in the 1870s –1910s.

Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Vrubel, Nicholas Roerich and other artists stayed and worked there.

Savva Ivanovich Mamontov (1841-1918)

In 1882, Mamontov built the Donetsk Coal Railway. The patron decided to decorate the office of the board of the new enterprise with paintings by the young talented artist Viktor Vasnetsov.

Mamontov's son Vsevolod recalled these paintings: "The first picture was supposed to depict the distant past of the Donetsk region, the second - a fabulous way of movement and the third - princesses of gold, precious stones and coal - a symbol of the wealth of the bowels of the awakened land."

Vasnetsov wrote three works for Mamontov: "Three princesses of the underworld", "Flying carpet" and "The battle of the Scythians with the Slavs." However, the Railway Board considered the plots not serious enough for the business environment of a large company, and Vasnetsov's paintings were not accepted.

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Viktor Vasnetsov. Carpet plane. 1881. Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum, Nizhny Novgorod.
Viktor Vasnetsov. Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs. 1881. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Plot

The plot of the picture goes back to the Russian folk tale "Three Kingdoms - Copper, Silver and Gold", known to the modern reader in several versions, edited by Alexander Afanasyev. In the tale, Ivan Tsarevich descends into the underworld to free his mother, Queen Anastasia the Beautiful, who was kidnapped by the villain Voron Voronovich.

On the way, the prince meets the captives (in some versions of the tale, daughters) of the Crow - the Copper, Silver and Golden princesses. The girls tell Ivan how to free their mother, and in gratitude the prince, returning from the underworld, takes them with him. Returning home, he marries the Golden Princess, and marries her younger sisters to his older brothers.

Fragment of the cover of the book "Russian folk tales" by Alexander Afanasyev

Author

Three paintings written for Mamontov largely determined the further work of Viktor Vasnetsov - from that moment on, he often turns to the plots of Russian folk tales and epics.

Thanks to the paintings "The Knight at the Crossroads", "Alyonushka", "Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf", the artist gained recognition among collectors and patrons of art: Vasnetsov managed to embody the motifs of Russian folklore in images understandable to modern people.

It is no coincidence that he was instructed to design the extension of the main entrance hall to the building of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane, which has become the hallmark of the museum. The artist worked in the neo-Russian style, rethinking the motives of traditional Russian architecture.

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Self-portrait. Victor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (1848–1926). 1873. State Tretyakov Gallery
The project for the extension of the main entrance hall to the building of the Tretyakov Gallery, together with V.N.Bashkirov. 1899-1901. Moscow, Lavrushinsky lane

Golden princess

According to the Russian folk tale "Three Kingdoms - Copper, Silver and Gold", on the plot of which the artist relied, Zolotaya is the most beautiful of the princesses of the underworld. When Ivan defeats Voron Voronovich, he frees all his captives and marries the girl. Vasnetsov borrows only this character from the fairy tale; two other images of princesses are not found in Russian folklore.

The golden princess is depicted dressed in a feryaz - a type of clothing common in pre-Petrine Russia with floor-length sleeves, in which there are slits for the arms. On her head is a coruna - a headdress that only unmarried girls could wear (the top of the head remained open, which was unacceptable for a married woman). Usually koruna was part of the wedding dress.

North Russian (Novgorod, Arkhangelsk provinces) coruna. XIX century. Collection of Natalia Shabelskaya

Princess of Gems

The artist wanted to embody the wealth of the Donetsk region in the images of the girls, so he creates a new image for Russian art - the princess of the Precious Stones. Like the Golden Princess, the girl is dressed in a queen, under which is a long silk shirt. On her arms she has an element of the Russian national costume, and on her head there is a low crown, which in central Russia was called "girlish beauty."

The second half of the 19th century is the era of historicism, when Russian artists carefully studied the folk life, traditional costumes, and folklore of their country. Although the painters did not always manage to achieve historical accuracy in detail, they tried to convey the flavor of the era in their works as accurately as possible.

Morning of the streltsy execution. Fragment. Vasily Surikov. 1881. Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow. The shooter's wife is dressed in the traditional for Rus' feryaz, and the soldiers of Peter I - in European costumes. So Surikov contrasts the receding into the past Ancient Russia with the Peter's era that came to replace it.

Princess of Coal

Since the painting was intended for the office of the Railway Board, Vasnetsov saw fit to depict the princess of Coal - “black gold” at that time ensured the movement of trains.

The older princesses are dressed in Russian folk costumes, but the youngest is wearing a more modern fitted dress with short sleeves (the ancient Russian beauty could not appear in public with open hands and bare head).

This work was carried out by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov by order of S. Mamontov, at that time the chairman of the board of the Donetsk railway being built. The idea was based on the fact that through a fairy-tale theme, the canvas should reflect the ideas of the Russian people about the untold wealth stored in the deep bowels of the Donbass.

The original plot of the folk story was changed by Vasnetsov. The two main princesses remained in place - gold and precious stones. To please the industrialists, another character appeared on the canvas - the princess of coal.

The canvas depicts three girls, two of them, personifying gold and precious stones, dressed in richly decorated ancient Russian outfits of the corresponding colors. The third one is wearing a simple black dress, her hands are pale and open, her hair is simply loose and spread over her shoulders.

It is noticeable that the princess of coal does not have the same arrogance that the other heroines, nevertheless, she is as attractive as the others. In the 1884 edition of this painting, Vasnetsov changed the position of the hands of a girl in a black dress, placing them along the body, and left her hands modestly closed in front of the other girls, which gave their poses great majesty.

In the background of the picture, the sunset sky turns red, the girls are surrounded by piles of dark rocks. When writing the initial version, the author used a yellow-orange palette along with black shades. The canvas of 1884 is replete with more saturated colors, the palette shifts to red tones. Also, in the lower right corner of the picture, the author painted two peasants in common shirts bowing to the princesses.

However, in the end, the board of the railway refused to buy the painting, so it was bought by the direct customer - S. Mamontov.

In addition to the description of the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov "Three princesses of the underworld", our website contains many other descriptions of paintings by various artists, which can be used both in preparation for writing an essay on the picture, and simply for a more complete acquaintance with the work of the famous masters of the past.

. Weaving from beads Weaving from beads is not only a way to take a child's free time with productive activities, but also an opportunity to make interesting jewelry and souvenirs with your own hands.

Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov is known for painting pictures based on various Russian legends, which are especially common among ordinary people. In 1880, by order of a Russian entrepreneur, the artist created a canvas entitled "Three princesses of the underworld", which was based on the tale "Underground kingdoms". This picture had two versions: in 1884, Vasnetsov slightly changed the position of the hands of one of the princesses to give her more tranquility and majesty.

In the center of the canvas, three majestic figures of girls are depicted against a background of gray dull rocks and a gentle blue sky, on which pale pink clouds float. The whole background only adds beauty to the main characters. Each heroine represents the wealth of the bowels of the earth. The girl, standing to the left of the others, is dressed in a luxurious gold dress, embroidered with traditional Russian patterns, and on her head is a gold dress, which includes several precious stones.

Despite all her majestic appearance, she behaves quite modestly, not showing her superiority. Her sister, who stands in the center, is not inferior to that in beauty and royalty. The whole outfit of the toy is made of precious stones, even the crown is completely made of them. But she is also an example of royal pride and modesty. The two sisters are dignified and know their position. But the third sister, who stands to the right of them, does not at all look like her relatives. Instead of a bright, jeweled dress, the girl is wearing a relatively modest black dress, and the girl's head is not adorned with a crown or anything else. In addition, her hair falls freely over her shoulders and adds a kind of lightness and tenderness to her. The girl does not emanate the same regal power as her sisters, but for some reason it is still impossible to take my eyes off her.

It is with her modesty, unobtrusiveness and calm confidence that she attracts attention and significantly surpasses the other two representatives. It contains the image of a real Russian girl who never puts her advantage outward, but behaves with restraint and without arrogance. Also, in addition to the three princesses of the underworld, the canvas depicts two men who are on the right side. They bowed their knees before the majestic images. However, the girls do not even notice these ordinary people. The heroines just froze in their poses and do not pay the slightest attention to what is happening around. Perhaps this was due to the fact that they ended up on the ground, and not in their usual environment. But it is precisely this staticity that adds to the princesses an ever more majestic look that makes people admire them.

Thus, Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov, in his painting "Three princesses of the underworld", depicted majestic girls, each of which represents a certain type of fossil that can be found in the bowels of the earth.