The Portrait (short story)
Encyclopedia
The Portrait is a short story
by Nikolai Gogol
, originally published in the short story collection Arabesques
in 1835.
It is the story of a young artist, Andrey Petrovich Chartkov, who stumbles upon a terrifyingly lifelike portrait
in an art shop and is one of Gogols’ most demonic of tales, hinting at some of his earlier works such as "St. John's Eve
". The Academic American Encyclopedia cited the work as an example of the "conflict between Gogol's idealistic strivings and his sad, cynical view of human propensities". First published in Arabesques, the story was received unfavourably by critics, and Gogol returned to the story, reworking it for the 1842 publication. Simon Karlinsky believes that the second version of the story, with its differing epilogue, works better within the context of the story, but writes that the work, while "a serious treatment of an important social problem", is "too slender a theme" to support the central thrust of the work, an attempt to portray "the great mystical concept of the Antichrist
".
by Mieczysław Weinberg, The Portrait
, composed in 1980.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol was a Ukrainian-born Russian dramatist and novelist.Considered by his contemporaries one of the preeminent figures of the natural school of Russian literary realism, later critics have found in Gogol's work a fundamentally romantic sensibility, with strains of Surrealism...
, originally published in the short story collection Arabesques
Bibliography of Nikolai Gogol
This is a list of the works by Nikolai Gogol , followed by a list of adaptations of his works: -Drama:* Decoration of Vladimir of the Third Class, unfinished comedy .* Marriage, comedy .* The Gamblers, comedy ....
in 1835.
It is the story of a young artist, Andrey Petrovich Chartkov, who stumbles upon a terrifyingly lifelike portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
in an art shop and is one of Gogols’ most demonic of tales, hinting at some of his earlier works such as "St. John's Eve
St. John's Eve (short story)
"St. John's Eve" is the second tale in the collection Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka by Nikolai Gogol. It was first published in 1830 in the literary Russian periodical Otechestvennye Zapiski in February and March issues, and in the book form in 1831....
". The Academic American Encyclopedia cited the work as an example of the "conflict between Gogol's idealistic strivings and his sad, cynical view of human propensities". First published in Arabesques, the story was received unfavourably by critics, and Gogol returned to the story, reworking it for the 1842 publication. Simon Karlinsky believes that the second version of the story, with its differing epilogue, works better within the context of the story, but writes that the work, while "a serious treatment of an important social problem", is "too slender a theme" to support the central thrust of the work, an attempt to portray "the great mystical concept of the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
".
Operatic adaptation
The story was the basis of an operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by Mieczysław Weinberg, The Portrait
The Portrait (opera)
The Portrait is an opera in eight scenes composed by Mieczysław Weinberg to a libretto by Alexander Medvedev based on Nikolai Gogol's short story The Portrait....
, composed in 1980.