“Little Organ Grinders” – a painting by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky was written in 1868 and is dedicated to the difficult situation of children from the common people. Kids are forced to work even in the coldest season to feed themselves and their families.

The painting “Little Organ Grinders” by Konstantin Makovsky is a desperate call to think about the fate of the defenseless

A skilled artist has created a realistic image in a restrained, limited range. Gray and brown tones predominate. Most of the center is occupied by figurines of characters and a wooden wall, where they sat down to rest.

Dirty, trampled snow, dim lighting, a piece of cloudy sky, dense frost on the trees, frost on the clothes of a boy and a girl speak of a low temperature. But only a lone bird flies past. The owners are at home. None of the adults will come to the aid of the freezing. The work evokes a feeling of dull hopelessness and pity for unfortunate children.

Name of the painting: “Little Organ Grinders”.
Author: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (1839-1915).
Year of writing: 1868.
Size: 62 x 48 cm.
Style: Realism.
Genre: Household.
Technique: Oil painting.
Material: Canvas.
Location: Private collection, St. Petersburg.

Konstantin Makovsky – Russian artist of the XIX – early XX

Being one of the first members of the association of the Wanderers, he gravitated towards romanticism and impressionism, and paid much attention to the authenticity of the depiction of his heroes. By setting high prices for his works, the master limited the circle of buyers. They became rich foreigners, aristocrats, representatives of the royal family.

In the Soviet period, the painter’s work was recognized as harmful. Most of it was stored in storerooms, inaccessible to a wide range of viewers. Some samples were presented as a gift to foreign rulers of friendly countries. The author was unfairly forgotten by art critics of the USSR.

The painting “Little Organ Grinders” by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky is one of the first highly appreciated by contemporaries. She raised an acute social problem, urging us to think about the plight of children from ordinary families.