Picture of “Birds”, Perov, 1870 
- Author: Vasily Grigoryevich Perov
- Museum: Tretyakov Gallery
- Year: 1870
Overview of the painting :
Birds – Perov. 1870. Oil on canvas. 82.5×126
An unusually realistic, slightly touching work was written under the impression of the scene in the autumn forest. The old footman and the barchuk are busy baiting birds. The autumn forest acts as a decoration for action. Looking closely, you can see how, attracted by the sounds of the pipe, birds fly to the sound. The cell in the hands of the barchuk is ready to accept one of them, that bird drills helped to survive the long and cold winter.
It is known that the autumn forest in the picture was written in collaboration with Savrasov. Therefore, the background in the picture is a little fabulous, even gloomy. But the heroes of the picture, full of impatience, vitality balance autumn scarcity and color monotonousness.
The skill and experience of an elderly footman gives him a former soldier, a participant in wars. In a young barchuk, footman found a faithful student who carefully monitors all the manipulations of the servant. Another moment and the bird will be caught.
The tradition of catching birds has existed for many centuries. After winter, on the day of Annunciation, captives were always released to catch forest song again in the fall, for the sake of its trellis in the house during a winter cold.
The amazing realism of the picture, its content with kindness, love for its native land, impeccable composition, precise color, talented and painstaking attention to details and equipment – this is what is characteristic of this master’s work. It is no coincidence that it was for this work that the artist received the title of professor of art school.