[Кирилл Сызранский]

Vasily Rozanov (1856-1918)
About the painting by Ilya Repin "17 th October"

Jewry, madness, enthusiasm and holy purity of Russian boys and girls - that wove our revolution, suffered red flags along the Nevsky Prospect on the day of the manifesto declaring October 17 - so comment on the case Ilya Repin exhibited them in the big picture " October 17, 1905, at the XIII traveling exhibition. The picture that you want to call a swan song, and together testamentary great artist ... Truly a great ... After all the disputes which were about him, after frantic efforts to break with his wreath this epithet especially whispers, whispers intensely.

How much understanding of how loyalty! Of course, all lived in the years 1905-1906 in St. Petersburg say about the film: "This is - well, this is - right!" The bear on the shoulders of a maniac with a crazy look on his face and lost his hat. "To cap it here, when the constitution. His face was not clear in thought, as it is a madman, and can only see the "eyes at one point and rasklokochennaya beard. This "Nazar" revolution, to the shock of hair that have never touched a pair of scissors, razor, comb and brush. The mental part of his small: most have him on their shoulders, and he in turn holds high above the crowd "a wreath of victory." Thus, a maniac, as he was to be, came out in a simple wooden stand for a poster. In front of the whole procession, two high-school boy, and one under the age of class IV or V, but another senior closest to the viewer, are not Class VIII and Class VI or VII. Who saw the mass of students, not make a mistake, looking at the person to whom the class is "pet school. These two high-school boy, and standing behind a sixth grade student in a cap, laid his hands on his shoulders - "instructor" singing and ideas - what is the opera! God, how all of this - so!

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"So it was!" So we all saw!

In the first line, directly in the mouth, the audience, screaming the song a student II or I (not IV) course in a little fur cap, with a mop of hair, dressed all in black. She was all "in eclipse" and sees nothing, hears nothing. Oh, she is quite independent in its 17 years, and nothing is echoed by anyone does not imitate! A great artist and made her so, not connected with anyone! Addition her mouth (open, singing) and her eyes - yes, they tell more volumes of "Past", it clarifies the revolution better than any "stories" about her.

Girl just "dizzy" ... In essence, it "swam" for its 17 years, but this "zakruzhenie age" merged it with the St. Petersburg whirlwind, in which she got from the province, arrived here only 1 1 /2 years ago. And she does not understand, from the age of a screaming, or the revolution. She was well on, as you can see that it's good that she was quite happy! And, really, for the happiness of the young I'm from 12 months of the year gave a single revolution. Russian carnival. Repin, without noticing it himself, drew a "Carnival of the Russian Revolution, its carnival, full of madness, flowers and happiness.

Behind her - a Jew and a Jew, husband and wife, he must have a privat-docent, and she has her first child. The Jew - blunt-centered person. At first glance it seems that now these Jews, the person who most discharged and "portrait" and are "mind" of the revolution, everything in it prompted and everything in it was taken. But it is only at first glance. The genius of the artist all podstorozhil all spotted. Jew - absolutely stupid, and the most cunning of his (which is in the face) - too dull, which, having lost everything "in general," won "today". Is far more crafty and cunning, it shrewdly thick military person (the right edge of the picture), respectfully raised his cap to the "winning" the revolution ... This person - suspicious, wrinkled and despises. Privat docent has the same mind nothing more than a freshman in front of him, but he believes, expects "infers", and in this dry academic work, he just utterly naive, as well as 17-year-old girl.

Next to him - a Jew, blessed of his first child, barely opened his white teeth and too little sentimental bent his head. She's happy child and revolution. "We just reached. She does not speak and can not speak. She does not sing like her husband is assistant professor, concentrating on nothing. First of Repin, so strikingly true to sketch people, I saw that "the Jews in the Revolution, in fact, do not lead, namely, going crazy for the boys, but to throw on their enthusiasm artful technique, cleverly conspiring and pseudo-scientific printed literature. In the revolution, as elsewhere, the Jews are not the creators. Creates, invents and rushes forward Aryan blood. It is bubbling and turns the water. And the Jews - "pochinschiki hours", as elsewhere, with tinyscope in the eye, and consider, and compile the details of any "8-hour day" and "organization" of the strike.

The same "no idea" and has lifted up a bouquet highly Jewish, age 35, in the middle of the crowd in the center of the picture. Next "raised the bouquet, she did not think anything. It is all - the effect, posture and a single cry. Look at her left shoulder in an official form, too loudly singing a song "about the overthrow of the government." He had read Shchedrin, he did read a lot - and 20 years carried on the shoulders of the service strap "20 th day, which in blissful carnival dropped. But better still, in uniform coat, the official age 45, with tightly compressed lips, and devoutly eyes staring ahead! That person is full of thought, belief, - a person is beautiful, but also a little dull! All his life philosophizing in his department, he read the Decembrists and the Decembrists, he was waiting for, "when the time comes ... And then came cherished "time", the constitution - and he was praying inwardly and the entire focus.

But see what a difference in concentration he and a Jew privat-docent, they both are not far, but a Jew mindedness slips into account, where he discovers is a trick and skill. A Jew has to do with "today" and nothing to do with Russia. Official - Russian idealist, a patriot, a patriot is the one who waited and waited for reforms. And now, "October 17" in the soul "is the prayer for the future of Russia." The role of the Jew - a stupid and clever, the role of an official - a naive and noble.

And all this "ustorozhil" Repin and gave read in his picture! Genius.

Behind Jew commoner-revolutionary, "propagandized" at rallies is not more than 9 months ago. This - "cattle" revolution, its cannon fodder. He starved to 17 October but, alas, and after October 17 will starve. And finally, behind his unformed face of this revolutionary, the only "real" face of the revolution in the whole picture: it is a terrorist, a suicide, a maniac, a madman. He kept silent, and before the revolution, and after the revolution. Quiet, quiet, and then kill him. And why kill - do not say, and even hardly knows.

In the middle - a good-looking old man with a big white beard. This is a "public figure", one 60-ies, "legends Dobrolubova" and "Contemporary". His face - and sorry, and raduyuscheesya. He is 40 years, grieved and rejoiced in October 17. Around him dressed lady, his 40-year-old daughter, unmarried, dedicated to decadence. In a huge hat and a rich coat, with small eyes and dry mouth, she sings the swan song "of his virginity, not realizing that all my life" condemned "is not so much the old order, as the sad personal destiny.

This is not the only "buttered pancake" in Repin's painting.

And yet the Jewish student, bawling loudly (in the center, slightly to the left). Roth uncovered so that it will fly in the jackdaw. Good, nedurnenky, and what is the mind?! But look at his metal, outer, cold enthusiasm, especially comparing it also with screaming Russian students and the students! .. How much internal heat in the past ...

What a picture! .. Where to see her Repin? He collectively kept putting it off in the shower experience. And expressed through 6 years accumulated (long and up to 17 October), "feelings" of men, figures of men's souls.

Yes, this is great "schupalschik" human beings, our Repin. And of whom he "felt" - did not hide his soul. His paintings - and the magnificent Opera House, and "secret investigation" that was and that there is in Russia. And the depth and truth of this "investigation" - a truly "scary fall into the hands of Repin. It is terrible for a living person to fall under his brush.

The picture "of October 17 should be compared with" uniformed Russia. " This is the famous "State Council" ... One other explanatory! .. And as Russian history becomes clear in this comparison!

1913

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