Children Rolling Easter Eggs
1855
- Period Late 19th century
- CategoryGenre Painting
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The painstakingly painted, darkly-coloured picture belongs to the period when the artist took his first steps into the world of painting. With its somewhat naive listing of details, the picture reveals quite a lot to the inquisitive eye about life in the old Russia and about what children got up to. The setting of the peasant home, with the cradle, trunk on the bench and samovar, is very expressive. There is a sympathetic and serious portrayal of the well-dressed children of different ages, their simple toys, such as a cow and a wheelbarrow, and the process of rolling coloured Easter eggs. The older ones teach the younger ones by example, displaying skill and agility, and this fostered the ability to compete with one another. Play and Passion in Russian Fine Art. St-Petersburg. 1999. P. 30.