In The Classroom 

Konstantin Makovsky painted ‘In The Classroom’ using oil on canvas. At first glance, the painting strikes us with its complex composition and warm colour palette. The space is divided into multiple planes, each teeming with figures and details that invite the eye to wander. The architectural setting is defined by horizontal red and white stripes. The structure creates a sense of depth, drawing us into the classroom scene. The semiotic system at play here is subtle but effective. The spatial arrangement—the teacher elevated, the students seated below—implies a hierarchy of knowledge and power. The books and writing materials function as symbols of education, but also of cultural identity. The painting doesn’t merely depict a classroom, it presents a cultural microcosm, ripe for interpretation. This cultural space offers a rich landscape for viewers to project their own understandings of learning, culture, and representation.