The painting Amphibious assault by troops of N.N. Rayevsky at Subashi was painted by marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky in 1839. The artist painted the battle while studying at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. This is one of his earliest works. In May 1839 Ivan Aivazovsky took part in combat operations in the Caucasus. His memories of the battles formed the basis of the picture. The artist presented this work to General Nikolai Rayevsky, under whose command he participated in the battle. On the back of the painting there is the inscription by Ivan Aivazovsky: Belongs to the eldest member of the Rayevsky family, not for sale.

In the first half of the 19th century the Russian army sought to annex the North Caucasus region to the Russian Empire. It was met with resistance by the Imamah, led by Imam Shamil. The Russian government decided to wage a war against the Caucasus.

Ivan Aivazovsky was invited to take part in the Caucasus War by Admiral Mikhail Lazarev. During the war the young artist was making meticulous sketches of battle scenes. Aivazovsky sought to achieve documentary accuracy: he studied details of the equipment of warships, the structure of boats and soldier gear. Ivan Aivazovsky paid less attention to drawing the sky and the sea. 

The steel shade of water of the sea and the blue sky covered with fluffy clouds make contrast with the human creations - magnificent ships gliding smoothly over the blue surface of water. The painter chose cold color scheme for the painting. The gloomy hues underline the hardships of war and the tension prevailing among the people.

Ivan Aivazovsky was born in the city of Feodosia in 1817. Thanks to the patronage of the mayor of Feodosia, Alexander Kaznacheyev Aivazovsky graduated from the gymnasium and entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts at the public expense. In St. Petersburg he did his studies under the famous landscape painter Maxim Vorobyov, whose paintings hung in the royal premises. Another tutor of the future marine painter was Philippe Tanner, a French artist who masterfully painted water. In 1837 Ivan Aivazovsky received the highest award at the Academy of Arts - the Grand Gold Medal. It gave him the right to travel to Europe, and Ivan Aivazovsky went there.

In Italy the marine painter developed his creative method and began to receive first orders. Paintings created by Aivazovsky in the European journey brought real success to him. Ivan Aivazovsky is known in the Russian art for his masterful depicting of water.