What’s going on in Vasily Surikov’s painting? Natalya Kochetkova Nov 02 2026 History

https://www.gw2ru.com/history/259188-whats-going-on-in-vasily-surikovs-painting-menshikov-in-berezov This famous canvas ‘Menshikov in Berezov’ was painted in 1883. Its central figure, Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673–1729), is a truly remarkable individual. A friend and close associate of Emperor Peter, he was born into a humble family; legend has it that, as a child, he sold meat pies on the streets of Moscow. Thanks to his natural intelligence and quick-wittedness, he caught the eye of a Swiss military officer named Franz Lefort, a mentor and tutor to the young Tsar Peter, who took the boy into his service. From there, he soon became an aide to Peter, earning the tsar’s complete trust through his loyalty and diligence. As a result, he rose to become a generalissimo, an admiral, the first governor-general of St. Petersburg, as well as one of the wealthiest and most influential men not only in Russia, but in all of Europe.