Before Confession 1877

Alexei Korzukhin painted this scene of people preparing for confession in oil on canvas sometime in the 19th century. Looking at it, one gets a sense of how important the Russian Orthodox Church was in the lives of everyday people. From the wealthy woman in her black dress, to the peasants huddled together, all social classes are represented in this image. Korzukhin, trained at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, has an eye for detail. Notice the architectural elements of the church. See how confession is conducted in semi-private within the ornate iconostasis, the screen which separates the sanctuary from the nave. The church acted as a social institution, one that united the people under a common set of beliefs and practices. Historians can look at census records, church documents, and even literature to understand better how this institution shaped the lives of the people and influenced the culture of the time.