Sketch “Bogatyr”, Vasnetsov, 1870 
- Author: Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov
- Museum: Tretyakov Gallery
- Year: 1870
Overview of the painting :
Bogatyr – Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov. 1870. Watercolor
Before us is the Russian hero on a battle horse. The equipment of the hero, his clothes are devoid of all luxury, beauty. Everything is very simple, nothing superfluous. Dark blue caftan, helmet, light ports, soft but durable leather boots and mittens. Simply combat equipment of the hero: sword, bow, mace. But the bridle of the horse, on the contrary, is richly decorated, which clearly shows the attitude of the vest to its fighting friend. And the rider and horse to match one another. Both feel power, power, courage.
Watercolor landscape plays the role of a color background. Wide steppe expanses are empty, devoid of all vegetation. Green-dried clouds hitherto hang over the steppe. Silence.
Having folded his hand with a “pipe”, the hero peels into this silence. The peaceful horse also listens to the steppe.
It is safe to say that the Bogatyr watercolor is just a sketch, sketch, and a brush sample. The features of the face of the hero are devoid of individuality, the landscape is sketched. The author carefully experiments, gradually forming his main idea: creating a picture of the hero-defenders, the heroes of ancient Russian were and legends. Later, this sketch will form the basis of the famous picture “Bogatyri”.