Wiktor Mazurowski

WIKTOR MAZUROWSKI (Warsaw, Poland, 1859 - 1944).
Set of officers of different regiments of the Cuirassiers of the Guard, at the time of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia", 1880.
Guard, at the time of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia", 1880.
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Signed on the lower right with his monogram.
Good general condition.
Provenance: Private collection of Monaco. Acquired on May 21, 2008 in
Bukowskis, Finland (sold for 70 000 €, expenses included).
Measurements: 95 x 123,5 cm.

This painting by the Polish artist Wiktor Mazurowski is an exceptional example of historicist military painting, a genre in which Mazurowski excelled. Although painted in 1880, the work is a meticulous reconstruction and homage to the elite corps of Russian heavy cavalry during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855), an era known for its strict military discipline and spectacular dress uniforms.

The work presents a group portrait of officers belonging to different regiments of the Russian Imperial Guard Cuirassiers. They are arranged in a parade or review formation in an open and serene landscape under a cloudless sky. The composition is deliberately static and formal, designed to display with maximum clarity and precision the details of the uniforms.

The Uniforms are the true protagonists of the work. Mazurowski displays his mastery to differentiate the regiments through their livery: breastplates, tunics, helmets, etc. Thus, all officers wear the characteristic breastplate (breastplate and backplate) of polished steel that gives its name to their unit ("cuirassier"). This element reflects light and visually unifies the group as heavy cavalry. As for the tunics, some officers wear white tunics (probably of the Horse Guards regiment) and others wear tunics of a distinctive yellow or gold color (possibly of the Cuirassier regiment of His Majesty's Guard). They wear imposing polished metal helmets (kaskas), topped with high horsehair plumes, whose color (white or red) could also indicate regimental or rank differences.

The attention to detail is extraordinary in the golden epaulettes, belts, white gloves, tight white suede pants and high black riding boots. Each officer carries his regulation saber. Mazurowski's style is that of late 19th century academic realism. His brushstroke is fine and precise, almost invisible, seeking a neat and enameled finish. The objective is the reliable and documentary representation. The lighting is clear and uniform, allowing every detail of the uniforms and the features of the officers to be appreciated.

The Cuirassiers of the Guard a military elite, the Tsar's personal guard and a symbol of the might of the Russian Empire. By painting this scene decades after the period it depicts, Mazurowski evokes a nostalgia for the "Golden Age" of Tsarist military splendor.

In short, this work is a visual document of great historical and artistic value, a testimony to a fascination with military history and a tribute to the magnificence and order of one of Europe's most prestigious cavalry corps.

Victor Vikentevich Mazurovsky, born in Warsaw, was a prestigious painter of battle scenes and military portraits. He trained at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts, where he specialized in military scenes. He won a large gold medal in 1888, which allowed him to travel throughout Europe. Upon his return to Russia, he documented army life and accompanied Russian troops in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I, creating numerous sketches and paintings. In 1907, he co-founded the Polish Society of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. After the February Revolution of 1917, he worked as a curator and painter at the Petrograd Military Museum, devoting several works to the Polish-Bolshevik war. In 1924, he returned to Poland, exhibiting in Warsaw. In 1927, he settled in Rome, where he lived and created until 1939. Mazurowski and his wife were killed in Warsaw on August 7, 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising, by SS RONA soldiers, when they were unable to keep up with a column of civilians. His work focuses mainly on war themes and military scenes, although he also painted portraits and genre scenes. His works on the Russian-Turkish war brought him fame in Russia. Many of his works are in Russian museums, and only a few in private collections in Poland.