Inn near Tashkent 1867

This drawing, "Inn near Tashkent," was made by Vasily Vereshchagin, though we don't know exactly when. Vereshchagin was a Russian painter known for his war art. It is impossible to ignore the complicated politics of the gaze in these works. Here, he depicts a scene in Tashkent, a major city in Uzbekistan, which was then part of the Russian Empire. The drawing captures a moment of everyday life at an inn. Yet, it's impossible to separate this image from the context of Russian expansionism into Central Asia during the 19th century. The artist’s position as an outsider shapes what he chooses to depict and how. Does this work offer a respectful glimpse into a different culture, or does it perpetuate a colonial perspective, exoticizing the local population? How does the depiction of labor and leisure reflect power dynamics? As you consider these questions, think about who is seen, who is unseen, and what stories remain untold.