Alexei and Sergei Tkachyov finished ‘Between Battles’ in early 1960. They dedicated the work to the theme of illiteracy during the civil war. After the 1917 revolution, the Tkachyovs’ father took part in educational programs in the countryside. Later he would tell his sons how Red Army soldiers and elderly peasants sat at tables usually occupied by schoolchildren and wrote the first letters of their lives.

In “Between Battles”, the artists depict not only rural dwellers, but also peasant members of the Red Army, who are studying in a break between action. The soldier has laid down his rifle and is diligently reading a book, whilst the older man is sitting at a desk, intently writing out the alphabet on a piece of paper. The light illuminates the faces and hands of the soldiers in the gloom, whilst the contrast between the light and the shadows makes the subjects three-dimensional.

The depiction of the teacher was a particular focus for the Tkachyov brothers. “When we started the painting, ” the brothers explained, “we only did the barest of sketching where the teacher would eventually be. It was obvious to us that she needed to be the primary focus, both in terms of the painting”s composition, but also its symbolism. The strength and depth of the teacher”s depiction needed to “command” the whole picture. Only after we had finished painting the Red Army soldiers did we move onto the main subject.’

A retired teacher from the village of Podol, Antonina Vaslivena, was the prototype behind the teacher in the painting. She explained how in 1918, after a few short courses, she came to Tver province to teach adults to read and write. She was only eighteen years old. The teacher’s description of her work led to the depiction of a fragile and almost despairing girl, an educated Russian who feels a deep connection with her people.