1911
oil on canvas
49 х 61

The drawing is one of a series of graphic works by Apollinary Vasnetsov, centred on ancient Moscow. Pursuit of national romanticism determines the artistic methods of portrayal. In reconstructing the stylistic unity of life and architectural environment, the artist follows the principles of retrospectivism. He takes advantage of the device of making the viewer part of the life of a medieval town. Together with noisy clowns, who like handcrafted toys, we walk along wooden pavement to reach a world of the past. Loud sounds of a horn and drum wake up the somnolent snow-covered suburban town. The artist's eye catches the characteristic features of the old time. The natural properties of the material make it possible to use a minimum of expressive means. The warm background of brown cardboard brings across the image of old, time-darkened wood, whilst coal and whitewash fill the drawing with required details. One gets a feeling of material and plastic unity of the image. The result is a fusion of graphics and ornamentality of applied art, typical of neo-Russian style.