To work 1921

Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky painted "To Work" with oil on canvas, creating a snapshot of rural life, likely in Russia, given the artist's origins and common subjects. The painting depicts young women at work, using horses to pull what appear to be agricultural tools through a birch forest. The scene is bathed in natural light, emphasizing the connection between the figures and the land. Bogdanov-Belsky often focused on the lives of peasant children, reflecting a broader interest in rural themes within Russian art. Looking at this image, we might consider the social and economic conditions of the time. What was the role of women in rural labor? How did artists represent the peasantry, and what ideological purposes did these representations serve? Investigating these questions through historical documents and studies of Russian art provides deeper insight into the painting’s cultural context and its commentary on contemporary society.