Pouring (Russian: Облива́ние) is a painting by the Russian, Soviet, and American artist Nicolai Fechin created in 1914 in Kazan. The canvas is held in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan, and is currently on display in the Fechin Hall of the National Art Gallery "Khazine" (a museum's branch).
Fechin's painting depicts a village custom of pouring water on those who pass by a well during summer heat. Peasants considered that it was a magical way of preventing drought. The Christian notion of "washing away sins" merged in this custom with memories of pagan rituals for "calling rain". Art historian Dmitry Seryakov considered Pouring a continuation in Fechin's work of the ethnographic theme, which by the time of the painting's creation had already been reflected in such genre paintings of his as Bearing Away the Bride and Kapustnitsa. Seryakov called these three paintings of the artist "ritualistic". In his opinion, the artist sought in them not so much to demonstrate scenes of folk life as to show a way of life captured in specific rituals.
Subject The action happens near a well against the backdrop of a village landscape with izbas with straw roofs, along paths trodden in the grass. The center of the canvas features a scene at a shadoof. A boy, standing on the well's log frame, strains to pull up a bucket tied to a rope from the well. Next to him, a peasant with a full beard, in a dark vest and purple shirt, vigorously douses nearby village women with water from another bucket. In the left part of the canvas, there is a young peasant woman. Bent over, picking up her soaked dress (implying she has just been doused by pranksters), she walks straight toward the viewer. Her bare feet step through puddles reflecting the blue sky. The left edge of the painting cuts off the barely sketched figure of an old woman with a carrying pole (art historian Voronov believed she looks on with laughter at the spectacle unfolding before her eyes). In the center of the right half of the canvas, the artist depicted a shivering girl with wet hair and clothes. She stands facing the viewer, holding her wet pink dress so it does not cling to her body, while another stream of water pours onto her legs.
Behind the girl, the artist placed in "free dynamic poses" another girl holding a crying infant in her arms, and a young woman in a red headscarf and bright lilac sarafan, whose child is taking a bucket of water from her. On the right, the edges faintly suggest, in Seryakov's words, "either a stack of firewood or simply logs piled on each other and the figures of two boys, cut off by the edge of the canvas" (Voronov believed they were busy drawing water).
Creation history The idea for the painting Pouring came to Fechin when he visited the village of Nadezhdino in Laishevsky Uyezd of Kazan Governorate, where he came for en plein air studies. The first director of the Kazan Art School, N. N. Belkovich, had a small estate in Nadezhdino. Both artists and school students visited him. Nicolai Fechin was a frequent guest of Belkovich. Art historian Ekaterina Klyuchevskaya asserts that linking a genre painting to a specific geographical point is characteristic of Fechin's work. As examples, she cites the canvas Bearing Away the Bride, whose action takes place in the villages of Kushnya andorki in Tsaryovokokshaysky Uyezd of Kazan Governorate, and other works by the master.
The custom of pouring in the Russian village Fechin chose as the subject for his painting the custom that existed in Russian villages of pouring water on everyone who passed by a well during summer heat. Peasants perceived this custom not only as a joke or game: it was considered a magical way of preventing drought. Voronov writes that most often such a rite was performed closer to Trinity Sunday (honoring the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and celebrated in the Orthodox Church on the 50th day after Easter). Voronov claims that this time falls in the driest month. Art researcher S. M. Chervonnaya attributes the action of the painting and the corresponding rite to Ivan Kupala Night (celebrated on 7 July / 24 June). Art historian G. P. Tuluzakova also notes that the event depicted in the painting relates to all-Russian village customs. She writes that among the Russian people the rite was part of many holidays. Among them: Bright Week of Easter (seven days including Easter Sunday and the six following days), Peter's Day (12 July / 29 June), and especially Ivan Kupala Night. On such days village boys poured water on everyone who passed by, and even dragged girls out of houses if they hid. After that, the girls joined the boys and participated in pouring themselves. It all ended with joint bathing. In this village custom, Christian "washing away sins" merged with memories of sacrifices by pouring to pagan idols and with calling rain to avoid drought.
Dmitry Seryakov considers Pouring as Fechin's continuation of the ethnographic theme already reflected in such paintings as Bearing Away the Bride and Kapustnitsa. He believes these three paintings could be called "ritualistic". In his opinion, Fechin sought in them not simply to demonstrate scenes of folk life.
Working process In Nadezhdino, Fechin painted several studies that later served as the basis for the painting Pouring. According to Dmitry Seryakov, by this time Fechin had already decided on the composition of the canvas and was thus searching for vivid character types, expressive poses for his future heroes, and their gestures. These studies are currently held, like the painting itself, in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan. Three of the studies depict characters from the future canvas: a woman in a red headscarf, a shivering girl, and a woman with a carrying pole. All three characters entered the final composition of the painting with minimal changes. In Seryakov's opinion, the main pictorial tasks of the future painting can already be seen in the studies. They are dominated by a common color scheme: ochre and warm green tones prevail in the conventional background, barely sketched with broad brushstrokes. Against this background, the red and lilac sarafans and white shirts of the heroes stand out.
Dmitry Seryakov notes that finding models from life for his canvases was extremely important to Fechin. In his view, the use of life studies is a key feature of the artist's painting, giving his canvases a "special vital plausibility". While working on the painting Pouring, Fechin painted from life not only the figures, character types, and costumes. He also searched for and sketched objects of everyday peasant life, which he later placed in the composition of the canvas.
Fechin did not finish the painting. Seryakov considers the question of the reasons for the artist's abandonment of completing the canvas to remain open. Among his hypotheses:
Fechin may have become disappointed with the artistic features of the work nearing completion, as they seemed insufficiently expressive to him; he may have lost interest in the chosen theme.
At the same time, from the point of view of the Russian art historian, the canvas — even in its unfinished state — has great significance: it demonstrates the peculiarities of Fechin's work "at an intermediate stage of the process" of creating the painting.
The painting and preparatory works in the museum collection
The painting Pouring became a part of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Tatar ASSR in 1962. Previously, it was in the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR (from 1944). Before that, in the Central Museum of the Tatar ASSR from 1923 (the painting was deposited by the artist for storage upon his departure from the USSR abroad; Fechin never returned from his trip to his homeland). The technique is oil on canvas, dimensions , inventory number in the museum collection — Zh-630. Pouring is currently exhibited in the Nicolai Fechin Hall at the National Art Gallery "Khazine", a branch of the museum.
The painting has appeared multiple times in exhibitions in Kazan: in 1963, 1976, 1981–1982, and 1991.
Seryakov mentions that the same museum holds three studies for the painting and a sketch. The study Woman in red headscarf was painted between 1911 and 1914 (?). Technique: oil on canvas, size . It entered the collection in 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously belonging to the Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR (from 1961). Before that, it was in the private collection of A. A. Zaitsev, in the settlement of Valentinovka, Shchyolkovsky District, Moscow Oblast. Inventory number — Zh-1502. This study was exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991. The study A woman with a carrying pole (1914) is also oil on canvas, size . At the upper left is the artist's signature and date — N. Fechin 1914; entered in 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously held by the Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR (from 1961), and before that in A. A. Zaitsev's collection. Inventory number — Zh-1504. Exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991. The study Shivering girl was created in 1914, same technique, size . Lower left has the signature and date N. Fechin 1914. Entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR from 1961, also from A. A. Zaitsev. Inventory number — Zh-1501. Also exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991.
Galina Tuluzakova attributes the following preparatory works to this painting, also held in the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan:
Study Boy with bucket (between 1911 and 1914 (?), canvas, oil, , entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously in Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR from 1961, acquired from A. A. Zaitsev, Zh-1263). Exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991. Study Boy with bare stomach (between 1911 and 1914 (?), same technique, , entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR from 1961, from A. A. Zaitsev, Zh-1503). Exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991. Study Boy from behind (between 1911 and 1914 (?), canvas on cardboard, oil, , entered 1972 from A. S. Timofeeva, previously in the private collection of V. K. Timofeev, Kazan, Zh-14-81). Exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991.
The Fechin exhibition catalog also mentions as studies for Pouring:
Study Boy's head (between 1911 and 1914 (?), canvas, oil, , entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR from 1961, from A. A. Zaitsev, Zh-1263). Exhibited in Kazan in 1963, 1981, and 1991. Study Boy squatting by a wooden tub (between 1911 and 1914, same technique, , entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR, previously Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR from 1961, from A. A. Zaitsev, Zh-1263).
The 1992 catalog mentions:
Study for the painting Pouring (between 1911 and 1914, canvas on cardboard, oil, , inventory number "Zh-1144". Entered 1972 from A. S. Timofeeva. Exhibited in Kazan in 1981 and 1991.
The sketch for the painting Pouring was made between 1911 and 1914. Technique: oil on canvas, size . Entered 1962 from the State Museum of the Tatar ASSR. Inventory number — Zh-1209. The sketch was shown at Fechin exhibitions in Kazan in 1963 and 1981, at exhibitions in Russian cities in 1992, and at the "Art-Divage" gallery (Moscow) in 2004. It was restored at the I. E. Grabar All-Russian Art Scientific Restoration Center.