The artwork, titled “Alexander Nevsky Striking Birder Jarl,” was created by Nicholas Roerich in 1904. This piece, which measures 28 by 45 centimeters, was rendered using gouache on cardboard. It belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and is categorized as a battle painting.
The painting vividly captures a dynamic and intense battle scene. At the center, one can observe Alexander Nevsky, donned in armor with a distinctive red cloak, connoting leadership and valor, mounted on a white horse. His posture and positioning, with a spear leveled toward his adversary, convey a sense of determined action. Opposing him is Birder Jarl, similarly armored and mounted on a horse, his shield displaying detailed heraldic designs, indicative of nobility and readiness for combat. The background is animated by a commotion of soldiers and knights, engaged in close-quarters fighting, with ships and a river in the distance hinting at a broader narrative context of a significant, historical confrontation. The artist’s use of vivid colors and dynamic forms enhances the narrative’s dramatic and historical gravity.
