Osmo Pavlovich Borodkin was born in the Karelian village of Olanga in 1913. From 1937 to 1941, he studied at the Leningrad Art and Pedagogical Institute. From 1941, Borodkin served in partisan units in Karelia and the Arctic. He began working on illustrations for the “Kalevala” three years before his death. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1949 and did not complete the series. His work was recognized posthumously at the All-Union Competition for Illustrations of the “Kalevala”. It was held to celebrate the centenary of the complete edition of the epic poem. Borodkin received the 3rd degree prize at this competition.
In the “Kalevala”, the contest between Wainamoinen and Youkahainen is not a physical altercation, but a battle of rune singers that tests their ability to sing and demonstrates their wisdom. Prior to the confrontation between the two Kalevala residents from different generations, the younger Youkahainen and the older Wainamoinen, it is revealed that Wainamoinen has been amassing wisdom and knowledge for a long time. After attaining wisdom, Wainamoinen becomes renowned. Youkahainen decides to challenge him in his knowledge, but upon losing, he challenges him to a duel with swords. Furious, Wainamoinen pursues Youkahainen into a swamp using magical spells. The young and combative Youkahainen refuses to accept defeat and attempts to resist, as it seems to him, an old man who cannot have much strength.
In poetic form, the story appears to follow a circular pattern, with the young protagonist becoming more and more stuck in the swamp with each turn. Realizing that he cannot escape, he begs for mercy and offers to pay a ransom. But Wainamoinen rejects all his offerings as he already has these things, so he does not intend to stop. Youkahainen tenders a bow, a boat, a horse, gold, and silver, but these things do not interest Wainamoinen. The young man’s last hope is to offer his young sister Aino to Wainamoinen.
Overall, Youkahainen is characterized by an incredible sense of pride, meanness, arrogance, greed, deceitfulness, and sycophancy. In addition, like a coward, in fear of dying, he promises to give his own sister as a bride to his enemy. In the artwork on display, the artist paints Wainamoinen as a majestic figure, while Youkahainen is portrayed as a pathetic loser capable only of sneaking attacks.
