Ivan Ivanovich Sokolov, whose work is on display, was a painter and portraitist, academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts. He traveled extensively both in Russia and abroad: he visited Germany, France, Spain and other countries. In 1857, he was awarded the degree of academician, and in 1860 — the title of professor. He lived for a long time in Little Russia.
The painting “Wedding”, which Ivan Ivanovich created in 1860, became widely known. It was repeatedly copied and replicated. The original is housed in the Sumy Art Museum.
The center foreground of the painting shows a group of dancing girls. On the left, three musicians stand under a tree. To the right is a young man and a girl, in front of them is an elderly woman bowing low. With a bottle in her right hand, she holds out a glass to the couple. In the right corner is a group of men, in the back is a group of women and a man holding a flagpole. In the background the artist depicted a house on the left, and a wicker fence with a gate on the right. In the foreground, is a group of children sitting on the ground. The background shows Ukrainian mazanki houses and a wooden gate.
The chromolithograph “A Wedding in Little Russia” was in Nikolay Nekrasov’s study in the East Wing of the Karabikha estate. This image may be assumed to have reminded Nekrasov of his mother, who had Malorussian roots.
Not much is known about the poet’s mother Elena Andreyevna Nekrasova, née Zakrevskaya. Neither her letters nor her personal belongings have survived. The information from her biography, which is available, is contradictory.
It is known that she died in 1841 at the age of 38. She was the daughter of titular councilor Andrey Semyonovich Zakrevsky. Elena Andreyevna was married to the lieutenant of the 28th Jager regiment Alexey Sergeevich Nekrasov on November 11, 1817 in Yuzvin, Vinnitsa uyezd, Podolsk governorate. Alexey Nekrasov’s regiment was at that time stationed in the district town of Litin in the same governorate.
In 1820 the Nekrasovs had their son Andrey, and at the very beginning of 1821 their daughter Elizaveta was born. Nikolay Alexeyevich was the third child in the family. He was born on November 28, December 10, according to the new style, in the village of Sinky (Senki), Balt district, Podolsk governorate.
In 1918 –1919, many things from the Karabikha estate, including the chromolithograph, were distributed among the local villagers. It was discovered by the museum staff in 1950 in the possession of a resident of the village of Petlino near Karabikha.
