Painting by K. Yuon “The New Planet”
Outstanding Russian artist Konstantin Fedorovich Yuon is considered a prominent representative of symbolism and modernism. Fate was supportive of Konstantin Fedorovich. He was born in the family of a bank employee, he received an excellent education. In 1892 K. Yuon entered the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he had the opportunity to study with such outstanding painters as KA Korovin, KA Savitsky,
AE Arkhipov. After graduation, K. Yuon was engaged in creative work under the leadership of VA Serov.
K. Yuon was a member of the “Union of Russian Artists”, “World of Art”, AHRR. The artist created a variety of pictures – among them were images of rural and urban landscapes, as well as symbolist paintings.
K. Yuon in the early XX century. created a cycle of symbolist drawings “The Creation of the World.” In these drawings he showed how the luminaries and nature come from cosmic chaos. In continuation of this
The composition of the picture is quite complicated. We see fiery flashes, the appearance of new planets. The picture is dominated by black and red and yellow tones. All this causes disturbing associations. Frightened people look small and miserable against a background of formidable cosmic cataclysms.
In fact, the allegory is understandable. In fact, the revolution as a social cataclysm is no less terrible and dangerous than the cosmic cataclysm can be. The revolution is ruthless towards people. “The revolution devours its children,” said Pierre Vergnot.
In the painting “New Planet” you can not see cities or houses. There are only frightening cosmic rays, flashes and people. Cosmic forces seem to be directed at defenseless, such small and weak people. And people can only escape, hide. Although any attempts to escape are useless.
What was the attitude towards the revolution of K. Yuon himself? Judging by his painting “The New Planet”, he could not fail to acknowledge the entire destructive power of social cataclysm. Global changes in public life could not pass unnoticed. Being a man of his time, the artist recognized all the negative factors inherent in social change. But at the same time he seemed to have high hopes for the birth of a “new planet”. The painter believed that some time would pass, storms and cataclysms would subside. And life will enter a new track, everything will be much better than before. Yes, tragedies are inevitable. But it can not be otherwise. Everything new necessarily requires the destruction of the old. “The new planet” will appear only after a series of destructive cataclysms. All this K. Yuon wanted to show his canvas. It is difficult for us to argue with this. However, we modern people have their own attitude to the revolution. We are no longer so anxious about the symbols of the era, as was typical of people in the early twentieth century. We, knowing about the destructive power of the revolution, already allow ourselves to criticize it as the most dangerous social cataclysm. And we also criticize the opinions of people who consider the revolution to be the greatest good.
The very picture of K. Yuon causes disturbing associations. In my opinion, the plot of the picture could be inspired by a heavy, nightmarish dream, if there was not a historical symbolist background for its creation. The artist did not accidentally chose such tones for recreating a frightening atmosphere. No doubt, most of the people depicted in the picture will perish. And this can not but frighten and not upset. I personally recalled this picture of another, which depicts a terrible natural disaster – “The Last Day of Pompeii.” In this picture, too, people are perishing, defenseless before the terrible eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. No one can be saved, nothing can protect people before a natural cataclysm. “Revolution is a barbaric way of progress,” said Jean Jaures, leader of the French Socialist Party, who spoke out against wars and militarism. In my opinion, such barbarity as the death of innocent people can not be justified. If it is a natural cataclysm, it is clear that no one is to blame. Not every natural cataclysm people can stop. But the revolution as a social cataclysm moves people. And it is truly frightening that people can cause such a ruinous phenomenon. It seems to me that the picture of K. Yuon can be taken as a strict warning. The artist was an eyewitness of the October Socialist Revolution. He knew what it was. And so the painter, using the manner of the Symbolists, left a descendant with a warning about what could happen in the event of a social cataclysm-revolution. It awakens terrible forces to life, people lose their minds. And there is no escape from this madness. Let the supporters of the revolution hide behind beautiful words. No words can justify what happens. Bernard Shaw once said: “Revolutions have never eased the burden of tyranny, but merely shifted it to other shoulders.” And this is actually so. Tyranny after social cataclysms did not disappear at all. Just changed the balance of power, there were new executioners and victims. All this, in particular the drama and tragedy of the revolution, makes the thought of K. Yuon “The New Planet.”
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