Illustration to Leo Tolstoy's «Hadji-Murat» 

This illustration to Leo Tolstoy's «Hadji-Murat» was made by Eugene Lanceray in 1934. Hadji Murat was a prominent Avar leader who defected to the Russians in the Caucasus War. The image generates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations, it offers a glimpse into the complex dynamics of Tsarist Russia's expansionist policies in the Caucasus. The artist invites us to consider the social conditions that shape artistic production. As historians, we can delve deeper into understanding the artwork by researching primary sources. These resources might include letters, diaries, photographs, and other period documents. This helps to reveal the social, political, and economic contexts in which the artwork was created and the kind of institutional histories that might be relevant. In this way, the meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.