Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov is known for painting paintings based on various Russian legends, which are especially common among ordinary people. In 1880, by order of a Russian entrepreneur, the artist created a canvas called “Three Princesses underworld", which was based on the fairy tale "Underground Kingdoms". This picture had two versions: in 1884, Vasnetsov slightly changed the position of the hands of one of the princesses in order to give her more calm and majesty.
In the center of the canvas are three majestic figures of girls against the background of dull gray rocks and a gently blue sky, on which pale pink clouds float by. The whole background only adds to the beauty of the main characters. Each heroine represents the wealth of the bowels of the earth. The girl, standing to the left of the others, is dressed in a luxurious golden dress embroidered with traditional Russian patterns, and a golden headdress flaunts on her head, which includes several precious stones.
Despite all her majestic appearance, she behaves rather modestly, not showing her superiority. Her sister, who stands in the center, is not inferior to her in beauty and royalty. The entire outfit of that one consists of precious stones, even the crown consists entirely of them. But she is also an example of royal pride and modesty. The two sisters are majestic and know their position. But the third sister, who stands to their right, does not at all look like her relatives. Instead of a bright, bejeweled dress, the girl is wearing a relatively modest black dress, and neither a crown nor anything else adorns the girl’s head. In addition, her hair falls freely over her shoulders and adds to her a kind of lightness and tenderness. The girl does not radiate the same regal power as her sisters, but for some reason it is still impossible to take your eyes off her.
It is with her modesty, unobtrusiveness and calm confidence that she attracts attention and significantly surpasses the other two representatives. It contains the image of a real Russian girl who never exposes her advantage to the outside, but behaves with restraint and without arrogance. Also, in addition to the three princesses of the underworld, the canvas depicts two men who are on the right side. They knelt before the majestic images. However, the girls do not even notice these ordinary people. The heroines simply froze in their poses and do not pay the slightest attention to what is happening around. Perhaps this happened for the reason that they were on the ground, and not in their usual environment. But it is precisely this staticness that adds to the princesses an increasingly majestic look that makes people admire them.
Thus, Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov in his painting “Three Princesses of the Underground Kingdom” depicted majestic girls, each of which represents a certain type of fossil that can be found in the bowels of the earth.
This work was carried out by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov by order of S. Mamontov, at that time the chairman of the board of the Donetsk railway. The idea was based on the fact that through a fairy tale theme, the canvas should reflect the ideas of the Russian people about the innumerable riches stored in the deep earthly bowels of Donbass.
The original plot of the folk tale was changed by Vasnetsov. The two main princesses remained in place - gold and precious stones. To please the industrialists, another character appeared on the canvas - the princess of coal.
The canvas depicts three girls, two of them personifying gold and precious stones, dressed in richly decorated ancient Russian outfits of the appropriate colors. On the third, a simple black dress is thrown over, her hands are pale and open, her hair is simply loose and spread over her shoulders.
It is noticeable that in the princess of coal there is no that arrogance that in other heroines, nevertheless, she is just as attractive as the rest. In the 1884 edition of this picture, Vasnetsov changed the position of the hands of a girl in a black dress, placing them along the body, and left the other girls' hands modestly closed in front, which gave their poses great majesty.
In the background of the picture, the sunset sky turns red, the girls are surrounded by piles of dark rocks. When writing the original version, the author used a yellow-orange palette along with black shades. The canvas of 1884 is full of more saturated colors, the palette shifts to red tones. Also in the lower right corner of the picture, the author added two peasants in common shirts, bowing to the princesses.
However, in the end, the railway board refused to buy the painting, so it was bought by the direct customer - S. Mamontov.
In addition to the description of the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Three princesses of the underworld”, our website contains many other descriptions of paintings by various artists, which can be used both in preparation for writing an essay on a painting, and simply for a more complete acquaintance with the work of famous masters of the past.
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One of the important stages in the formation of V. Vasnetsov, as a pioneer of the fairy-tale genre in Russian painting, was the order by the industrialist and philanthropist Savva Mamontov in 1880 of three paintings for the board of the Donetsk railway. One of these paintings is "Three princesses of the underworld". Like the Flying Carpet, it carried an allegorical meaning and personified the riches hidden in the depths of the Donbass. Although in the end the board refused to buy the paintings, the Mamontov brothers bought them. And in 1884, Vasnetsov again turned to this plot, slightly supplementing the original version. This painting was acquired by the collector and philanthropist I. Tereshchenko.
The plot of the picture is based on the Russian folk tale "Underground Kingdoms". According to her, Ivan Tsarevich and his brothers were looking for their mother Anastasia the Beautiful, kidnapped by Raven Voronovich. To do this, he had to go underground, where he met the princesses of the underground kingdoms: Copper, Silver and Gold. Having defeated the villain, the hero gathered back upstairs, along with his mother and three princesses. But his brothers, seeing the handsome man, changed their minds about pulling Ivan out and cut the rope. It was this moment that Vasnetsov portrayed. The first version of the picture shows only the princesses themselves, and in the version of 1884 there are also two brothers bowing low before the beauties.
In order to please his plan, the artist replaced the Silver and Copper Princesses with Coal and Precious Stones. These three beautiful girls, shining with the beauty of their outfits, became the characters in the picture. In the center is the princess Precious stones. Her majestic posture and proud head held high speak of a noble origin. She has a beautiful face: a burning blush, sable eyebrows, scarlet lips. Her outfit is also striking: an expensive dress embroidered with a fancy ornament interspersed with precious stones: emerald, pinkish, turquoise, red and yellow, complemented by massive beads on the chest and a crown of gems.
To her left stands the majestic Princess of Gold in a sparkling golden robe. The intricate pattern on her dress is complemented by a rich scattering of gems that adorn the sleeves and hem of the dress. On the royal head, a kokoshnik crown shines with the brilliance of precious stones. But her beautiful face is sad, longing is felt in her lowered eyes. Although, it seems to someone that the Princess of Gold has an arrogant expression on her face.
A little apart from her majestic sisters stands the timid Coal Princess. Her outfit is modest, it does not have the pretentiousness and splendor of her sisters' robes. A simple but exquisite brocade black dress, shiny black hair falling over her shoulders, sadness on her snow-white face - the artist made her the most human of his heroines. In the version of 1881, the Coal Princess holds her hands together, which makes her image even more tragic, because according to the plot of the tale, her prototype was the beloved of Ivan Tsarevich. In the second version of the picture, Vasnetsov changed the position of her hands, placing them along the body, giving the figure of the younger princess calmness and majesty. Blocks of black rocks in the background, the red sunset sky give the picture monumentality. And the contrasting combination of earth and sky, against which the kidnapped princesses are shown, emphasizes the anxiety and excitement of the heroines.
1884 Oil on canvas. 164 x 297 cm. State Museum Russian art
Description of the painting by Vasnetsov V.M. "Three princesses of the underworld"
In 1880, V. Vasnetsov received an order from patron Savva Mamontov to paint three paintings to decorate the Donetsk railway station. The artist, whose work is inextricably linked with epics, legends and fairy tales, this time again opted for fairy tales. Soon the paintings "Flying Carpet", "Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs" and "Three Queens of the Underworld" were ready.
The painting "Three Queens ..." was painted last and was intended to decorate the office of the Board of the Railway. As conceived by the master, the picture was to become the personification of the untold riches stored in the land of Donbass. The embodiment of these treasures became the heroines folk tale- underground princesses. According to the tale, there were only two of them - the princesses of Gold and Precious Stones. But to please the industrialists, the artist also painted the third one - the Coal Princess.
Three girls, shining with the dazzling beauty of their faces and outfits, became the main characters of the picture. In the center is depicted the princess of Precious Stones. Majestic and proud, she stands with her head held high, demonstrating her noble origin. Her outfit is indescribably beautiful: an expensive dress embroidered with intricate ornaments catches the eye, bewitching with emerald, pinkish, turquoise, red and yellow tints of precious stones that make up the pattern. Heavy beads on her chest and a crown of gems on her head complete the image of the guardian of the underground treasure. Her face is not inferior in beauty to the attractiveness of stones: scarlet lips, a burning blush and sable eyebrows - a true princess.
To the left of the Queen of Precious Stones stands the equally majestic Princess of Gold, who is easily recognizable by her sparkling golden robe. The intricate pattern of gilded fabric is complemented by a scattering of gems decorating the sleeves, buttons and hem of the dress. Shines with the brilliance of precious stones and the crown-kokoshnik on the royal head, and the beads on the neck of the queen. But her beautiful face is sad and sad, longing is hidden in her lowered eyes.
Somewhat away from the majestic sisters, the viewer will see the timid Coal Princess. In her attire there is no pretentiousness and magnificent royalty, just as there is no arrogance in her face. A modest but exquisite black brocade dress, beautiful black hair, freely falling on her shoulders, open, helplessly lowered hands, sadness on her snow-white face - such was created by Vasnetsov, the youngest of the princesses. Standing out against the background of her sisters with her simplicity and modesty, she seems more sweet, dear, close and humane.
Beautiful princesses are saddened. And the reason for their sadness can be seen here, on the canvas. In the lower right corner, the artist painted two brothers, Ivan Tsarevich, the hero of the fairy tale that inspired the artist to create the painting. According to the story, the princes betrayed their brother: having kidnapped the underground beauties and rescued their mother, they cut the rope and left him to die underground. In their hands, you can see both the rope and the knife with which it was cut. Both brothers are shown at the moment when they, struck by the beauty and stature of the princesses, bowed down before them in a daze in a bow to the ground.
Monumentality gives the picture and the red sunset sky, and blocks of black rocks. The contrasting combination of sky and earth, at the intersection of which the abducted girls are shown, emphasizes their anxiety and excitement.
Despite the beauty of the canvas, the railway workers refused to buy the painting, citing a fairy tale plot alien to industry. As a result, the work of the great artist was acquired by the collector and philanthropist I. Tereshchenko.
The best paintings of Vasnetsov V.M.
Vasnetsov, we remember from the well-known from the school "Three heroes" and "Ivan Tsarevich on gray wolf". And today let's pay attention to the not so famous, but very interesting work of the master - "Three Princesses of the Underworld". Believe me, she has something to surprise us with!
Savva Mamontov
It is somehow strange that the great artists whose work can be seen in best museums, worked to order. Needed, earned, wrote even to decorate offices and apartments. Somehow it doesn't fit. Nevertheless, this is so, and it is with such an order that the history of this amazing picture is connected.
So, Viktor Vasnetsov had a friend - Savva Mamontov. And I must say, he was a well-known at that time (and he is fond of art even now) entrepreneur and philanthropist. This means that he supported the artists "free of charge, that is, for nothing."
Here he is, Savva, you see - imposingly lounging on the sofa in Repin's painting. Almost new Russian. And who knows what would happen to Russian art, if there were no Savva, there would definitely be fewer paintings in the Tretyakov Gallery. Although there was still, of course, Tretyakov himself, and other patrons, but that's not the point. The importance of Savva for art cannot be overestimated - that's what I wanted to say.
Savva really wanted to support his friend, the artist Vasnetsov, by giving him a good commission. He came to the management of the Donetsk railway, of which he was a member, and convinced his colleagues that the best decoration of their office would be the work of Viktor Mikhailovich. They shook hands and Vasnetsov happily set to work.
Here it should be noted that Victor was a great lover of fairy tales and all kinds of Russian creativity and approached the order very creatively. “Three princesses of the underworld” were by the way not the only picture of the order, there was a couple more - “Flying Carpet” and “Battle of the Scythians with the Slavs”. And all the pictures, as you might guess, turned out to be very magical. And they would be good for ... a textbook, for example, or at least a gallery. But not an office where serious people solved serious problems. That's how the customers counted - and refused to buy paintings. 
Well, Savva had to decide the issue. The paintings were purchased by the patron's family.
But let's dwell on the "Three Princesses" in more detail. What an interesting idea was born in the head of the artist. At that time, minerals began to be mined in the Donbas - gold, precious stones and coal. There is such a fairy tale - "Underground Kingdoms", that's what Vasnetsov took as a basis, adding the princess of coal. That is, in his picture he made such an interesting image of the wealth of this region, depicting them in the form of royalty. Just look at these women - gold, precious stones and coal! This is not a picture, but a whole performance!
Apparently, Vasnetsov (and not only) thought so, and in 884 he created a second version of this work, with minor changes. It was acquired by a philanthropist and collector from Kyiv Tereshchenko.
Now the painting "Three princesses of the underworld" adorns the walls Tretyakov Gallery, and for those who live in Moscow or visit the capital, I highly recommend considering the "girls" in more detail.