Warrant Officer Hassan-Beck Dzhagranov 1864

Vasily Vereshchagin made this undated sketch of Warrant Officer Hassan-Beck Dzhagranov using graphite on paper. Vereshchagin was a Russian artist celebrated for his unflinching depictions of warfare, which often challenged prevailing patriotic sentiments of the time. This sketch offers a glimpse into the Russian military's engagement with diverse ethnic groups, such as this warrant officer of possible Caucasus origin. The tall papakha hat signifies his cultural background, while his military bearing speaks to his role within the Tsarist army. Russia's imperial expansion brought many different cultures under its flag, so images like this are invaluable records of this complex relationship. By studying archival records, military histories, and accounts of Russia's colonial administration, we can contextualize images like this within the political landscape. The historian's task, then, is to use these social and institutional contexts to interpret the cultural meaning of art.