The Major Makes a Proposal (Inspecting a Bride in a Merchant’s House)
Circa 1851
- oil on canvas. 56 x 76
- Ж-4521
Пост. в 1897 из Царскосельского Александровского дворца; ранее (до 1870 в собр. В.А.Кокорева (Москва)
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Location in museum
The Mikhailovsky Palace
Open the panorama of the hall in the virtual tour
Room 13 - Period Early 19th century
- CategoryGenre Painting, Interior
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The subject of this painting is linked to a poem written by the artist entitled Correcting Circumstances, or The Major’s Marriage (Foreword to a Picture). The work is mentioned in A Description of the Paintings and Studies of Pavel Fedotov: «The Major’s Marriage. Unfinished picture. A matchmaker brings a major to a merchant’s house. The head of the household hastily button himself up. The confused daughter attempts to flee, but her mother holds her back by her dress. Both are dressed up to receive the suitor.
There are various things to eat on the table. The cook brings in a pie, while the caretaker carries in the wine. An old woman comes in from another room to ask what the preparations are for. The caretaker points to the entering matchmaker.» The Russian Museum owns a repeat version of the original painting (1848, Tret. Gal.), for which Pavel Fedotov was elected to the Imperial Academy of Arts. Russian Museum: From Icons to the Modern Times. Palace Editions, St Petersburg, 2015. P. 175.
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