The artwork titled “About the war,” created by Vasily Vereshchagin in 1873, is an oil painting on canvas exemplifying the art movements of Realism and Orientalism. Measuring 58.5 by 74 cm, it falls under the genre of battle painting and is part of the Turkestan series. Currently housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia, this compelling artwork captures the somber and reflective aspects of war.
The artwork foregrounds two horseback figures adorned in traditional attire, surveying a desolate battlefield strewn with the lifeless bodies of soldiers and horses. Their posture and the expansive landscape stretching into the distance evoke a profound sense of aftermath and contemplation. The muted color palette and detailed portrayal of the scene underline the harsh realities and stark devastation wrought by conflict, characteristic of Vereshchagin’s realistic and orientalist vision.
