(1815-1852)
Pavel Andreyevich Fedotov, an eminent artist, was a pioneer of critical realism in Russian art.
Fedotov began to draw and paint while he was an officer in a guards’ regiment, from which he retired in 1843 in order to devote himself to art.
He is at his best in genre painting. His great sympathy for “small people”, his bitter irony, the indignation he showed at times in the presentation of the privileged strata of Russian society are combined in his work with keen observation, depth of psychological characterization and exactitude in the detail of surroundings.
In the “The New Cavalier” we are shown a scene in “the morning-after-the-night-before”, when the officer received his decoration. The new order-bearer is up at peep of dawn, all agog with eagerness to pin the new toy to his shabby old dressing gown.
Vocabulary
eminent — выдающийся, замечательный
regiment — полк
to devote himself to art — посвятить себя искусству
to be at one’s best in smth. — лучше всего проявить себя в чем-л.
genre painting — жанровая живопись
sympathy — сочувствие
irony — ирония
indignation — негодование
strata мн. ч. от stratum — слой (общества)
keen observation — проницательная (поразительная) наблюдательность
depth of psychological characterization — глубина психологической характеристики
exactitude — точность
The New Cavalier — “Свежий кавалер” (назв. картины)
at peep of dawn — на рассвете
all agog with eagerness — жаждущий
shabby old dressing gown — потрепанная старая одежда
