Holy fool, surrounded by pilgrims 1872

Vasily Perov made this pencil drawing, Holy Fool, Surrounded by Pilgrims, in 19th-century Russia. It depicts an individual, ostensibly mentally unwell, at the centre of a crowd. Around them, various figures, including clergy and common people, are engaged in different activities. Perov was a member of the Peredvizhniki, a group of Russian realist artists who formed as an artistic cooperative in protest against academic restrictions. Their work served as a powerful critique of social inequality and injustice in Tsarist Russia. Here we see a challenge to the idealised depiction of Russian life promoted by the Academy. Perov is critical of the Church's treatment of vulnerable members of society. The setting, presumably a pilgrimage site, highlights the exploitation of religious belief. Understanding Perov's work requires historical research into the social conditions of the time. By studying these contexts, we can understand better how the artist sought to challenge the norms of his society.