Prayer service at the farm in Ukraine. Sketch for the painting "Prayer at Easter" 1886

Vladimir Makovsky made this watercolor sketch, titled "Prayer service at the farm in Ukraine", as a preparatory study for his painting "Prayer at Easter". Here, Makovsky captures a religious ceremony with a delicate, transparent wash, layering thin glazes of pigment to create a luminous and atmospheric scene. The loose, fluid brushwork suggests a sense of spontaneity, almost as if capturing a fleeting moment in time. This approach diverges from the more formal academic painting of the era. While the subject matter is ostensibly religious, Makovsky's focus lies in portraying the everyday lives of the Ukrainian peasantry. The setting is humble, with a thatched-roof house and unadorned wooden structures providing a backdrop for the prayer service. Note the inclusion of ordinary details, like the animals in the foreground, that offer a glimpse into the social context of rural life. By emphasizing the material realities of the scene, Makovsky invites us to consider the role of labor, class, and religious practice in shaping the lives of these individuals. He elevates the everyday into the realm of art, challenging the traditional hierarchies of subject matter.