«On the Swing»

Date of creation: 1888

Dimensions: 58 x 40 centimeters

Location: State Russian Museum in the Mikhailovsky Palace (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Yaroshenko’s painting entitled «On the Swing» was first shown to the public in 1889 at a traveling exhibition. The focus is on a flirting scene between a soldier and a maid riding on a swing. The action takes place in the Kaluga province on the Day of the Holy Spirit – a Christian holiday that has retained echoes of pagan traditions. People believed that on the night before this day, the Holy Spirit descends to earth, filling houses and fields. The meeting of the maid, calmly accepting courtship, and the soldier, honing his art of seduction, is not at all accidental. Love, simple and earthly, but standing above pompous heroism, is the Holy Spirit that is awaited on this holiday.

The artist emphasizes the charm of simplicity: the maid casually cracks sunflower seeds, and the soldier persistently tries to win her heart. Behind this game of courtship, a bright feeling appears, familiar to everyone who has ever experienced love. The sky background on which the couple is depicted makes you think about the sublime context of what is happening. The picture is a moment of joy snatched from a festive day.

Fun, love, the Holy Spirit – the picture awakens the brightest emotions in the soul of the viewer. This can lead to internal changes, as a result of which goodness and beauty will come to the fore, and malice and selfishness will remain in the past. Probably, this is exactly what the author, whose impeccable morality was noted by many contemporaries, was trying to achieve.