Description of the painting by Fyodor Vasilyev “Eupraxia”

Description of the painting by Fyodor Vasilyev Eupraxia

Vasiliev was an artist who amazed everyone with the realism of his paintings. So here, even with a detailed and close enough consideration of the picture, the feeling that you have a photograph or at least a computer graphic image does not leave you. But no, this is really a picture.

Before us is a famous woman, Princess Eupraxia Ryazan. Her husband was a well-known prince who did not mind the soul in his family: a young beautiful wife and a young son.

As the chronicles of the Old Russian tell, the princess was famous for such incredible beauty that they talked about her far beyond the borders of the country, although the territories were considerable. It so happened that the Tatar-Mongols got into the habit of Russian lands. They exterminated men, took children and beautiful young girls into captivity. Batu Khan decided that such a beauty as Eupraxia must necessarily be his toy, it cannot be otherwise. He demanded from the prince,

Fedor Yuryevich, that he himself should bring his wife to him. But the prince refused, he could not disgrace his honor.

The princess could not stand it, and realizing that her fate had already been predetermined a long time ago, that hour with her young son from the prince’s chamber was thrown out.

In the picture we see just the moment of the jump, when Eupraxia and his son are flying towards their death. But it is worth noting that she is not afraid to die, on the contrary, she bravely challenges and looks into her eyes. The look of the princess is resolute and stern. She is a real wife of a warrior who will not give offense to her child. We see that the boy is scared, he is closely pressed against the mother’s chest, realizing that their death is near. Fearlessly entered Eupraxia, this is a real feat. So she could stay true to her homeland and not fall into the hands of the enemy. Despite the fact that suicide in the church is considered a terrible sin, Eupraxia is canonized for his courageous act.


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Description of the painting by Fyodor Vasilyev “Eupraxia”