15 PAINTINGS by Russian artists about fairs (PICS)

Public domain
Public domain
This is not just a place where they traded everything that could be useful in the household, but also the center of social life. This is how Russian artists depicted life at fairs.

The first fairs in Old Rus' began to be held in the 10th-11th centuries and, from the 14th century, they became an integral part of life. You could buy almost everything at them: from household utensils and clothes to silk carpets, peltry and furs, stock up on provisions and look for a cow, a songbird or a horse. They sold not only local, but also foreign products. And there, people also made useful contacts, concluded deals, looked for suitors, found out the latest news. And, of course, had fun!

Fairs featured buffoons and circus performers, booth theaters and amusement rides. They were held all year round and were often timed to coincide with major religious holidays – Epiphany, Annunciation and others.

Maslenitsa festivities also did not go without a fair and, during the first week of Lent, a special mushroom market would be held in Moscow.

1. Andrey Popov. ‘Booths in Tula during Holy Week’, 1868

Tretyakov gallery
Tretyakov gallery

2. Konstantin Makovsky. ‘Folk Festivities during Shrovetide on Admiralteyskaya Square in St. Petersburg’, 1869

Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg
Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg

3. Boris Kustodiev. ‘Fair’, 1906

Public domain
Public domain

4. Apollinary Vasnetsov. ‘Novgorod Market of the 17th Century’, 1908-1909

Tretyakov gallery, Moscow
Tretyakov gallery, Moscow

5. Ivan Kulikov. ‘Fair’, 1910

Public domain
Public domain

6. Ivan Kulikov. ‘Bazaar with bagels’, 1910

Public domain
Public domain

7. Boris Kustodiev. ‘Fair’, 1910

Public domain
Public domain

8. Konstantin Yuon. ‘Palm Market on the Red Square’, 1916

Tretyakov gallery, Moscow
Tretyakov gallery, Moscow

9. Nina Simonovich-Efimova. ‘Fair’, 1917

Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after M.A. Vrubel
Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after M.A. Vrubel

10. Boris Kustodiev. ‘Palm Market at the Spassky Gate’, 1917

Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg
Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg

11. Boris Kustodiev. ‘Booths’, 1917

Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg
Russian museum, Saint-Petersburg

12. Alexander Makovsky. ‘On a market day near the Resurrection Church in Plyos, 1918’, 1918

Public domain
Public domain

13. Nikolai Petrov. ‘Fair in the Voronezh province’, 1925

Penza Regional Art Gallery named after K. A. Savitsky
Penza Regional Art Gallery named after K. A. Savitsky

14. Zinovy ​​Popov. ‘Fair’, 1970s

Voronezh Regional Art Museum named after I.N. Kramskoy
Voronezh Regional Art Museum named after I.N. Kramskoy

15. Leonty Leontyev. ‘Fair in Krasnodar’, 1980

Krasnodar Regional Art Museum named after F.A. Kovalenko
Krasnodar Regional Art Museum named after F.A. Kovalenko
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