In the 1880s, the artist Konstantin Yegorovich Makovsky became interested in Russian history. Historical scenes formed the basis of his work during that period. He depicted the boyars of the 15th–17th centuries, their customs and everyday life, creating a group of paintings known as “The Boyar Series”.
“Kissing Ritual” is an iconic painting. The large multi-figure composition is historically accurate in the depiction of the interior, household items, old clothes, and even personalities. Nowadays, the painting is housed by the State Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.
The Khimki Art Gallery houses a study for this painting. It is believed that Konstantin Makovsky borrowed the subject for his painting from a scene from the 1863 historical novel “Knyaz Serebryanny” by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Having a propensity for romanticism and choosing vivid subjects, the artist was so inspired by the novel that he depicted the scene with the ancient Russian ritual of greeting guests.
In his work, Aleksey Tolstoy described the “kissing ritual” during a reception at the house of the boyar Morozov who had fallen into disfavor. According to tradition, his young wife Yelena was expected to go out to the guests, offer each of them a goblet of wine, and accept a kiss.
The artist was intrigued by the undisguised jealousy of the old boyar who keeps a watchful eye on the ritual, watching the young guest and expecting his beautiful young wife to betray her feelings. The boyar is waiting for his suspicions about his wife’s infidelity to be confirmed.
Konstantin Makovsky composed the image according to the rules of mise-en-scene. The characters freeze against the background of the boyar’s chambers like theater actors. In her hand, the boyar’s wife holds a golden goblet. Knyaz Nikita Romanovich Serebryanny, the novel’s protagonist, rushes towards the beautiful Yelena Dmitriyevna, modest and loving, forced to hide her feelings in the presence of her husband. The master of the house, Boyar Morozov, sinks heavily into an armchair, listens to the gossip delivered to him by the hunchback wearing a jester’s cap, and does not take his eyes off his wife.
