Banya
1913
- Period Late 19th century – Early 20th century
- CategoryGenre Painting
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Reflecting the Neoclassical experiments of Zinaida Serebryakova in the 1910s, this picture was based on a multitude of life drawings and studies. The eleven young women depicted inside a Russian bathhouse seem to partake in a solemn ritual. The beauty of their healthy, sturdy bodies is perceived as a reflection of the inner purity. Their fresh and wholesome figures seem to radiate light, while the natural and unrestrained poses are calm and dignified. The naked bathers are equally similar to peasants, townswomen or ancient goddesses. Pouring water slowly out of her tub, the woman in the foreground is particularly reminiscent of the sculptures of Feodosius Schedrin. Painted in warm ochre tones, the composition successfully unites the individual parts in an harmonious whole. Russian Museum: From Icons to the Modern Times. Palace Editions, St Petersburg, 2015. P. 270.