拍品專文
Surikov was born in Krasnoiarsk in Siberia into a Cossack family, his father being a descent of a Don Cossack who went to Siberia with Yermak, and both his parents were artistic. After early studies in his native city Surikov entered the Academy of Arts in 1869 as an external student, and by inclination concentrated on historical subjects. After moving to Moscow his first major canvas was The Morning of the Streltsi's Execution, which was bought by Pavel Tret'iakov as soon as it was exhibited.
In 1891 Surikov began work on his painting of Yermak's Conquest of Siberia following an extensive sojourn in Siberia after his wife's death. There he had travelled widely sketching the scenery and native population, whose way of life had little changed since the conquest. Painstaking research was carried out into the events of the late 16th century, when the Cossacks of the Don were encouraged to move to the militarily weak eastern marches of the Russian empire. Yermak's band reached the Urals in the autumn of 1581 making contact with the powerful merchant family of Stroganov, and planned his offensive on behalf of Ivan the Terrible. In the summer 1582 Yermak routed the armies of Kuchum and entered his capital of Isker, and the campaign pursued until 1584 when Russian security in the East was guarenteed.
Surikov's portrayal of this unexampled military feat under extremely difficult conditions was assessed by Nesterov as 'firm, thick and rich, seized out of the essence of the action flowing by necessity'. His subjects were drawn from sketches of Siberian peasants as well as Ostiaks, Tartars and others. This preliminary sketch conveys the reality of the finished canvas, with Yermak's Cossacks under their banner of the Vernicle crossing the river towards Kuchum's forces on the opposite bank, with the city of Isker in the distance.
In 1891 Surikov began work on his painting of Yermak's Conquest of Siberia following an extensive sojourn in Siberia after his wife's death. There he had travelled widely sketching the scenery and native population, whose way of life had little changed since the conquest. Painstaking research was carried out into the events of the late 16th century, when the Cossacks of the Don were encouraged to move to the militarily weak eastern marches of the Russian empire. Yermak's band reached the Urals in the autumn of 1581 making contact with the powerful merchant family of Stroganov, and planned his offensive on behalf of Ivan the Terrible. In the summer 1582 Yermak routed the armies of Kuchum and entered his capital of Isker, and the campaign pursued until 1584 when Russian security in the East was guarenteed.
Surikov's portrayal of this unexampled military feat under extremely difficult conditions was assessed by Nesterov as 'firm, thick and rich, seized out of the essence of the action flowing by necessity'. His subjects were drawn from sketches of Siberian peasants as well as Ostiaks, Tartars and others. This preliminary sketch conveys the reality of the finished canvas, with Yermak's Cossacks under their banner of the Vernicle crossing the river towards Kuchum's forces on the opposite bank, with the city of Isker in the distance.