The road in the rye 1881

Grigoriy Myasoyedov painted this oil on canvas, called 'The road in the rye', in Russia, though we don't know exactly when. In it, a solitary figure walks through a field of rye. The image speaks to a sense of Russian identity connected to the land. Consider the period in which Myasoyedov was painting: it was a time of intense social change, including the abolition of serfdom. Artists wanted to show the lives of ordinary people and this painting reflects that. The painting can be read as a commentary on the changing social structures of the time, or it might reflect on the role of the peasantry in Russian society. It would be useful to know about Myasoyedov's personal life, his social circle, and his political opinions in order to get a deeper insight into the painting.