Figure 1.--Here we see the inside of a rural Russian school about 1865 as depicted by Morozob. It looks like it is during the Summer. Click on the image to the the right side of the painting.

We note a Russian artist named A.U. Morozov who painted a peasant school in the mid-19th Century. The school was painted in 1865. Morozov was a student of the romantic style of painting. He was one of the 14 artists who protested about what could and could not be subjects for paintings. Tsarist Russia in the 1860s had strict regulations about what artists could paint. We do not have complete details on these regulations, but I think that peasent scenes were not part of what artists were allowed to paint. Morozov's philosophy was to paint refelecting peotry of the soul. His work concentrated on the positive side of life and not its negative aspects. Serfdom was abolished by Tsar Alexander II in 1861, but continued in practical terms for decades. A reader tells us, "The school is on an estate owned by a wealthy landowner with a social conscience. His wife, who is on left of picture is running the school. Children are bare footed and have pencils and paper to do the work. It seems a very happy school, everyone is working. I note child noy sitting on bench but neeling on floor and using the bench as the desk. How often that scene has been the way a child chose to work!" I'm not sure who the land owner was. So often landowners are depicted as being cruel and explotive. This of course was the image promted by the Soviets. It not doubt was accurate in many cases. It is nice to see it was not always the case.

The Artist

We note a Russian artist named A.U. Morozov who painted a peasant school in the mid-19th Century. Morozov was a student of the romantic style of painting. He was one of the 14 artists who protested about what could and could not be subjects for paintings. Tsarist Russia in the 1860s had strict regulations about what artists could paint. We do not have complete details on these regulations, but I think that peasent scenes were not part of what artists were allowed to paint. Morozov's philosophy was to paint refelecting peotry of the soul. His work concentrated on the positive side of life and not its negative aspects. Morozov tried to show the best that was happening. This is reflected in his very optimistic view of peasant education shown here. work. His artistic skill was in depicting an idealist vision rather than casting too critical analyis on the themes he was depicting on canvas. His message seems to me that the serfs, now liberated, were taking every opportunity to benefit from the educational changes.

The Painting

The title is "The Free Village School". The painting is in a Moscow State Art Gallery. It is a wonderful depiction of a 19th century Russian school. Painting on show in Moscow. It is part of the collection at the Tretjakocsky Gallery. Painting on show in Moscow. It is part of the collection at the Tretjakocsky Gallery.

Chronology

The school was painted in 1865.

Location

I am not sure where in Russia the school was located.

Serfdom

Serfdom, the Russian form of feudalism, played a major role in Russian life through the 19th century when it was abolished. Serfdom was more humane than American race-based chattel slavery, but serfdom as also a brutal system which tied millions of Russians to the land. Even freed slaves were discriminated against. The influence continued into the 20th century. An assessment of Russian boys' clothing would thus be incomplete without an assessment of serfdom. Some Russian boys even in the 19th century look much like European boys. Other Russian boys, especially serf boys and rural village boys dressed very distinctly.

Russian Education

Serfdom was abolished by Tsar Alexander II in 1861, but continued in practical terms for decades. The date of the painting is important because it was painted 4 years after the liberation of the serfs. It was also 5 years after the 1860 political decision to bring education to the masses and the peasantry. Many landowners prevented their serfs from being educted and many did not like the idea even after the sefs wee emancipated.

School

A reader tells us, "The school is on an estate owned by a wealthy landowner with a social conscience. It shows a free school opened by a land owner to educate the peasent children who lived in the village on his estate. The school was run by the land owners wife and she is assisted by her friends.His wife, who is on left of picture is running the school. Morozov's optimistic outlook can be seen in his painting. This can be seen in the village school. The children are shown to be well motivated to learn and are eager scholars. The child working on the bench and kneeing on the floor while engaged in a writing task. The teachers are are shown to be eager to teach the three basic subjects. The room is depicted as a spacous single story classroom which is clean and well resourced with desks and benches. The schoolroom is not overcrowded with village children in fact there does not seem to be many children there. Instead there is enough helpers to give the ideal teaching situation of one to one teaching! The painting shows healthy, well-fed and well dressed children who are eager learners. The girls wear headscarves and long dresses. The boys wear Russian blousies and long trousers. Most of the children are barefooted. The woman far right is clearly the person in charge and her helpers consist of women who are younger than she is. This suggest that they might be the daughters of other prominent citizens in the area. Children are bare footed and have pencils and paper to do the work. It seems a very happy school, everyone is working. I note child noy sitting on bench but neeling on floor and using the bench as the desk. How often that scene has been the way a child chose to work!" I'm not sure who the land owner was. So often landowners are depicted as being cruel and explotive. This of course was the image promted by the Soviets. It not doubt was accurate in many cases. It is nice to see it was not always the case.

Sources

Ferguson, William. E-mail message March 26, 2004. Bill has provided us most of the information here.

Created: March 24, 2004
Last updated: March 26, 2004