In a Village. Going to Liturgy 1903

Editor: Here we have Andrei Ryabushkin’s "In a Village. Going to Liturgy," painted in 1903 using oil paints. The woman, set against this faded landscape, appears very self-contained. What story do you see in the materials and setting? Curator: The magic here lies in Ryabushkin's attention to the raw materials of Russian village life. Notice the texture of the weathered logs of the houses, achieved through thick, almost brutal strokes of oil paint. This isn't just about depicting a woman going to church; it’s about presenting the material reality of her existence, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Yes, definitely. The painting style is quite crude actually, far from the glossy society portraits of the time. Was he making a statement by choosing to represent everyday labor so directly? Curator: Precisely. By focusing on the materiality of the village and its inhabitants, he elevates their labor, making it as significant as the religious ritual. The muted palette further reinforces this idea, avoiding idealization in favor of showing the roughness of their lives, the means of production. Editor: So, it’s less about piety, and more about… Curator: ...the tangible world that shapes these people's lives. Consider the context: this was a period of industrial upheaval in Russia. Ryabushkin seems to be turning towards the simplicity of rural life. Editor: So, he’s choosing the physical and social over the spiritual? I’d always thought of Russian art as intensely religious. Curator: Ryabushkin is pointing to how religion is grounded in daily struggle. What remains unsaid, suggested by the rough surfaces and simple forms, invites us to reflect on the labour invested in these people’s everyday routines. Editor: That completely changes how I see the work. The materials and their rawness almost become a political statement! Thank you. Curator: Indeed. By acknowledging materiality we shift the artwork's message away from sentimental religion and instead refocus it toward daily life in all its complexity.