Apollinary Vasnetsov. The Kremlin of Dmitrov in the 17th Century

Apollinary Vasnetsov, the younger brother of Viktor Vasnetsov, is remembered as the artist who "saw" the old Russian towns anew. This 1920 sheet is a reconstruction of Dmitrov in the 17th century: a wintry trading quarter, a wooden kremlin and a stone cathedral rising above it.

In 1918 Vasnetsov became head of the Commission for the Study of Old Moscow and carried out archaeological observations during excavation work in the city centre. His historical views of Moscow and other towns, based on documents and finds, became the most recognisable part of his legacy.

In the foreground are wooden houses and covered stalls, with laden carts in front of them and people in long caftans. Beyond rise the wooden fortress walls and a tall five-domed cathedral; behind the walls stands a single-domed church with a side chapel. The ground and roofs are covered with snow, while the trees still have yellow leaves. The work is executed on cardboard and paper in watercolour, graphite and coloured pencils.