Heliogravure from a painting by A.L. Rzhevskaya "Orphans" (1863, Sevastopol Art Museum named after M.P. Kroshitsky)
In-folio format (52x40.5), complete with original green cardboard folder, embossed and floral ornament.
The painting "Orphans" (1893) by the artist Antonina Rzhevskaya is often exhibited in thematic expositions dedicated to the life of the Russian nobility. ... The picture shows an impoverished noble family. An elderly sad woman, a box with scattered toys, two girls... By the name of the picture, it is clear that the children have no parents left. Grandmother will have to raise two girls alone ... The work itself is autobiographical, the artist lived in an impoverished noble family, she has known hardships and deprivations since childhood. Another thing is curious: for many years it was believed that the painting depicts the artist's mother. But it's not. The story cleared up in the 30s of the last century. However, Vasily Vatagin, an animal sculptor and art historian, brought clarity. In 1931 he was in Sevastopol and decided to visit an art gallery.
In the picture, he recognized his mother-in-law and his future wives. He may not have seen this work before. It is known that Antonina Leonardovna raised two girls, - added the art critic. - In a sense, Rzhevskaya painted a self-portrait. And the depicted "orphans" in the future became the spouses of the sculptor. The fact is that he first married one of her daughters, but after the death of his first wife, he married another.
