1848 - 1916

Vasily Surikov was born on 24 January in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, into an old Cossack family. He was proud of the Cossacks: their independence and liberty spirit, patriotism defending Russia from the invaders, elective system of self-government and so on.
In 1869- Surikov came to St. Petersburg to study at the Academy of Arts. He was not permitted to become a student until 1870. Vasily Surikov was greatly impressed by the city and he expressed his astonishment in his first painting,                                            

  During his studies at the Academy in 1874 he obtained all the awards and medals for his sketches and paintings, such as: Cleopatra (The Tretyakov Gallery), The Princely Court (The Tretyakov Gallery), Belshazzar's Feast( The Russian Museum), The Good Samaritan (The Surikov Art Museum), The Apostle Paul Defending the Dogma of the Christian Faith Before King Agrippa,His Sister Berenice and Proconsul Festus. 1875 (The Tretyakov Gallery).
He was commissioned to work on the four murals of Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow in 1876. That's why the Artist moved to Moscow and he loved the change. Surikov was impressed by the old buildings and churches, Red Square and the Kremlin. He found many similarities with his native town in Siberia. In 1877 he got acquainted with another Russian artist Ilya Repin. Surikov married Yelizaveta Charet and finished his work on the murals.
Vasily Surikov is known for his historical paintings. In the pictures he painted in 1880s, The Morning  of the Execution of the Streltsy, Menshikov at Beriozov and The Boyarynia Morozova, the artist depicted Russian tragic moments in XVII-XVIII centuries. Streltsy was shown at the 9th Itinerant Exhibition in 1881. The artist was accepted as a member there.

The Morning of the Execution of the Streltsy. 1881. Oil on canvas. 218 x 379 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

The painter's intense interest in the era of Peter the Great was depicted on that canvas. Surikov brought to mind the miseries that common people suffered during the reforms forcibly imposed by the state and the Star.
Peter and his half-brother Ivan became co-rules after their elder brother, Fiodor's death, in 1682. Ivan's sister Sophia acted as regent, but as Peter grew up, she attempted to keep him from power. Among her adherence were the Streltsy, Russia's first "professional soldiers". After a struggle, Peter imprisoned Sophia and executed her partners. When Peter was abroad the Streltsy mutinied. Tsar returned to Russia and executed them. The bodies of the dead were displayed on gibbets for months to intimidate people.
Surikov presented a moment before the execution to point attention not to blood but to emotions, thoughts and characters. He showed two forces: the Streltsy, representing outgoing ancient Russia, and Peter  with his reforms, Europeanizing Russia (The Tsar was watching the preparations on horseback.) The tragedy gradually unfolded from left to right allegorically using candles. Some of them were blazed, or smoked or already cold. Human sympathy for the men and their families was expressed on the faces of all people but Peter, who was rock hard. This painting became the most important canvas as it laid the foundation for Surikov's future work. 
In 1883  Menshikov at Beriozov was displayed at the 11th Itinerant Exhibition in St Petersburg.

Menshikov at Beriozov. 1883. Oil on canvas. 169 x 204 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow

Menshikov, Peter's favorite, captained Russian forces in the field against the Turks and Swedes, executed the Streltsy, built the new capital of St Petersburg on marshland, built ships, trained troops, organized commercial and industrial companies, engaged in diplomatic negotiations. Menshikov was a low-born Russian, whose talent and energy took him to the top during Peter's rule.
Menshikov, with support of the guards, after Peter's death proclaimed the widowed Empress Catherine sovereign and ruled Russia in her name. After her death Peter II rebelled against Menshikov's authority. In 1727 Menshikov was placed under house arrest and dispatched to Beriozov, Siberia. Everything was confiscated. On his way there his wife died. Menshikov passed away in 1729 and his beautiful doughtier Maria (previously engaged to Peter II) followed him one month later.
Surikov used gloomy colors to show Menshikov's thoughts and misfortunes that he brought down on his children. A diamond ring symbolized his previous brilliant career. The artist used his wife as a model depicting Menshikov's doughtier Maria. Surikov painted glazings over impasto painting producing rich vibrant colors. Tretyakov paid 5000 rubles to acquire Menshikov for his gallery collection enabling the artist to travel abroad to Berlin, Dresden, Cologne, Paris, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice, Vienna. with his family.
1884 - Surikov painted The Roman Carnival. 1887 - Morozova was displayed at the 15 Itinerant Exhibition.

The Boyarynia Morozova. 1887. Oil on canvas. 304 x 587.5 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

The Boyarynia Morozova. Detail.	The Boyarynia Morozova. Detail.

The strife between tradition and reform developed itself in the XVIIth century. It was the collision between the Russian Orthodox Church and the reforms, which made the Church submitted to the tsar. In 1672 Morozova and her sister, Princess Urusova, were arrested and quietly kept in a pit in Borovsk, where Morozova died in 1675.
Morozova who represented old Russian traditions was shown in the sledge by Surikov. The trong was divided into two groups. The right-hand group was her sympathizers, and in the left-hand group was Morozova's mocking enemies and indifferent people. Surikov spent over four years sketching to produce a realistic historical painting. Each figure, costume and face has its own meaning and expression. Surikov employed chiaroscuro, showing gorgeous color and three dimensional form.
In 1888 - Vasily Surikov fell into a deep depression after his wife's death and became very religious. He painted Christ healing the Blind Man. 1889- Surikov traveled to Siberia and in 1890 he painted The Taking of the Snow Fortress.

The Taking of the Snow Fortress. 1891. Oil on canvas. 156 x 282cm. The Russian Museum. St Petersburg.

Next year this painting was displayed at the 19th Itinerant Exhibition. Work on this canvas helped Surikov to overcome his depression.
The artist painted the Siberian Cossacks playing. It was an old custom to construct a fortress of snow and ice with a great skill. The participants would divide into two opposing sides. One team defended the fortress with brooms and rattles; the other tried to break through on horseback. The victor would be treated to wine; the losers would be rolled in the snow.
He traveled to Siberia again to make sketches for Yermack's Conquest of Siberia. For for years Surikov traveled around Russia, doing studies. In 1893 - Chipset healing the Blind Man was exhibited at the 21 Itinerant Exhibition. 1895 - Yermak was displayed at the 23d Exhibition. The Board of the Academy of Arts awarded Surikov the title of academic. 1897 - He traveled to Swithzeland to make studies for Suvorov. Next year the artist traveled to Krasnoyarsk where he painted Suvorov and produced illustrations for editions of Pushkin's works. In 1899 - Suvorov crossing the Alps was displayed at the 27th Itinerant Exhibition. That picture depicted an episode in the Russian's army's Swiss campaign of the 18century. Surikov showed soldiers as true heroes and war as an exploit of the people.
Vasily had his 3d trip abroad to Naples, Venice, Rome, Florence, and Paris (showed The Taking of the Snow Fortress at the World Exhibition.) During 1901 - 1906 Surikov was working on Stepan Razin, doing sketches and traveling. That painting was displayed on the 35th Itinerant Exhibition. The artist produced a lot of portraits, landscapes and watercolors. Surikov developed a watercolor technique, using the brush quickly, accurately and broadly with pure color(St Peter's in Rome, Venice, Pompeii).

Portrait of Sophia Kropotkina with a Guitar.1882.	Maria Menshikova.Study. Watercolor on paper.

The Moscow Society of Lovers of the Arts elected Surikov as a member. During those years the painter turned down several offers to teach at the Moscow College of Painting and the Academy of Arts. In 1911 Surikov sent Razin to the International Exhibition in Rome. He also created sketchers for A Princess Visiting a Convent.

Surikov's last completed picture was exhibited at the Tenth Exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists.
Before Peter the Great, the tsar's daughters couldn't marry. The only alternative was to take the veil. The Artist painted the contrast between the naively devout, beautiful, glitteringly etires princess and the black-habitude abbess and nuns, who look at her with curiosity, envy, malice or apathy. It's a contrast between her sincerity and their stupid thoughts. She was the only one praying!
1914 - spent traveling and finishing The Annunciation, which he showed at the 12th Exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists. Next year Surikov painted a self-portrait and worked on the composition of Princess Olga Meeting Igor's Corpse. Surikov completed a number of portraits, such as: Portrait of Doctor Yezersky, Portrait of Olga, Anfisa, Portrait of Yekaterina Rachkovskaya, Portrait of Natalia Matveyeva. Fell ill. Vasily Surikov died and was buried in the Vagankovskoye Cemetery in Moscow on March,6,1916 .   His last words were: "I'm disappearing."

Reference: Vasily Surikov by Vladimir Kemerov, Parstone Publishers, England, 1997