This idea became especially relevant when a new April Fools mode was introduced. We are talking about the ball tank IS-360. But let's not get hung up on them, who wants to read about them - (and also some information at the bottom of this article).

And now to the memories. April 1, 2014 There was no sign of fun. But when they entered their hangars, the players were extremely surprised. Before him appeared an eight-bit game tank world, strongly reminiscent of the old days of the Dendy games era.

The mode offered players to fight in a 7v7 format on a special pixel map that was designed for this mode. As a tank, only one was used - self-propelled guns "Karl". It was distinguished by a very strong projectile throw, fast movement and quick reloading of the gun. I was also struck by the fact that not only the environment was redesigned for the 8 bit style. The sounds also changed and sounded extremely pleasant, really reminiscent of the past. As a reward for an unusual battle, players were given a unique medal - "Operation Nostalgia". Initially, the regime was conceived as a minor April Fool's joke, but it made an extremely strong sensation. Millions of battles were played in a few days, and the tank forums were filled with messages about the new fan mode.

As well as a video of the announcement of this mode (there will be a video for each of the modes).

Then the next fun mode followed - T62-A "Football". On June 12, 2014, on the opening day of the Mundial (a great football feast, namely the World Cup), a fun mode dedicated to this event, namely "Football battles", started in the game. The game was played in a 3v3 format on a heavily redesigned Himmelsdorf. For the game, everyone was given the same special tank T62A sport.

Victory in battle was achieved in two ways - one of the teams needed to score 3 goals first, or at the end of playing time to have more goals scored on your account. The ball could be driven into the opponent's goal in two ways - by the body of the tank and by the gun (by shooting at the ball). Also interesting feature there was the fact that the tanks were not vulnerable, that is, they did not receive any damage. Also, there was only one type of shells - land mines (because they are more dexterous to shoot at the ball).

The mode has become extremely popular among players. In just a month of playing this mode, more than 60 million matches took place!

Well, no video.

The next fun mode was Tank Racing. They appeared in the game in autumn, September 29, 2014. Based on the name, the players were supposed to "transform" from ordinary tankers into tank racers. This was facilitated by a very fast M24 Chaffee Sport (the only tank that was issued for the mode) and a redesigned Port map that serves as a race track (a moment of nostalgia for the Port map).

The aim of the race was to drive big circle, and then go to the common base. The base was captured extremely quickly. It was also possible to win a battle by completely destroying your opponent. For the victory in the mode they were given an honorary medal - "Racer-2014". The fight took place 3 on 3. The track was built in such a way that the riders rode along different sides roads, but had constantly (or periodically, depending on the location) backache at the enemy. Shooting on the go is difficult and uncomfortable, but quite fun. Great speed, turns, jumps. Tank racing has given great pleasure to many players. This kind of fan mode has become incredibly successful - over 110 million game sessions were played in two weeks!

And a video (how could it be without it?).

There were no more fan events for 2014. But at the beginning of 2015 - no questions asked. On January 5, 2015, an exclusive New Year's holiday mode appeared in the game. Interestingly, it was also made in the eight-bit style. It was such a combination tank battles World of Tanks with nostalgia for classic console games. Another fun mode is called "Winter Battle".

Three tanks were specially designed for the mode, a special pixel map, cool new sounds (really in an 8 bit atmosphere), and an interesting feature - a platoon of 5 people! Naturally, a commemorative medal was also provided for this regime. For victory in battle, players will be awarded a commemorative medal "Operation Winter".

Now a little more about the mode itself. 3 tanks of this mode are 3 different gaming class. The Raider (similar to the T50-2) is light and performs the functions of reconnaissance and flank maneuvers. The second representative of this fan mode is "Mammoth" (heavy tank, copy of T110E5). Lots of hitpoints, large sizes and an interesting 3-round weapon in the drum. But the interest is not just in the drum, but in the fact that the shells fly out one after the other immediately, with a slight delay. And finally, the third representative of this fan mode is Berserk. This is a tank destroyer (a copy of the Foch 155) with high one-time damage (but of course without a turret) and good mobility, but with a mediocre hull traverse speed. Has an average HP between a Raider and a Mammoth.

Also interesting are the types of projectiles in this mode. There are two of them - ordinary shells and healing ones. Both normal projectiles and healers deal damage to the enemy. Healing projectiles restore health to their ally (1 healing projectile - 200 hp). In this way, interesting tactics were assembled, for example, a Berserker riding forward and killing his opponents on cd and two Raiders in the back, which restore his health. Thus, it was possible to shoot over 10 thousand damage without any problems.

The map for the mode was prepared mirror and extremely interesting. It is completely destructible, except that it should not be destructible for gameplay reasons. The base is in the center of the map. Near the base there is water in which you can drown the enemy (or drown yourself).

The goal in battle is standard - to destroy all enemy equipment or capture the base.

Video and therefore the fan mode has not gone anywhere.

And finally we came to the modern fan mode, which at the time of the publication of the article is still in progress. It was called "The Dark Side of the Moon". In this mode, the IS-360 spherical tank is used. The map is selected (as always for fan modes) special and extremely unusual. The map is a lunar surface with craters and lava pits. The main goal in combat is to push all opponents into the lava. Destroying a tank by shooting from guns is extremely rare, because the tank has a lot of HP, but the gun has very little damage per shot. The fight lasts only 3.5 minutes and, as a rule, this is enough to defeat your opponent. The battle format is 7 vs. 7. The so-called "moon platoon" is available for this mode, in the number of 3 people. In addition to these moments in battle, you will find non-standard gravity and various random effects that happen every 45 seconds of the game.

Video on fan mode is also present.

This post has been updated over time. And there are reasons for this. The expected football event of the summer of 2016 has passed, the passions have subsided, which means it's time to sum up some results and leave a post in memory of another bygone fan mode.

Football mode was not new to World players of Tanks, he already showed himself to the world in 2014 at the World Championship. This time it was timed to coincide with the Euro 2016 event. Football, of course, remained football, but certain adjustments and improvements were made.

The first important improvement was the increase in playing fields (maps). Previously, there was only one, and in 2016 there were 3 of them, each with its own specific features. playing fields in fact, they are the same, but the appearance of the surrounding erupted strongly - light bright Himmelstadion, night Abandoned stadium and sandy Stade Eiffel.

The format of the game was not touched (also 3v3). The goal is the same - to score the ball into the goal. To do this, you can use both shots (only land mines) and the ramming ability of the tank. The first team to score 3 goals wins, or at the end of regular time, the winning team. If regular time ends with a draw, then extra time is announced with very interesting mechanics. There are also two ways to win: whoever scores the ball first wins; the second way is to keep the ball on the opponent's field for 100 seconds (not in a row, but as a total amount of time). Whoever can be the first to keep the ball on the opponent's side for this period of time will take the victory into his piggy bank. To improve the dynamism of the mode and the effectiveness of the game, a special consumable called "Turbocharger" was added to certain segments of the match. It gives an increase in engine power by 15 percent for 10 seconds of time. The timely use of this consumable allows you to gain an advantage on the field over your opponent or even score a goal and snatch victory.

As in 2014, this fan mode attracted a huge number of people to the game. A lot of people played - both football fans and those who are quite far from real real football. According to this fan mode, a tournament was even held with impressive cash prizes.

In short, this 2016 football mode in World of Tanks is a quality update of the old 2014 model. And it is right. There is no point in reinventing the wheel when you can just add new features and fix bugs. Of course, screenshots and a video announcement of the football mode are attached (see below).

These were all the fun modes of our game World Of Tanks. Each with its own zest, with its own peculiarity. In my opinion, the idea of ​​creating such modes was great, and I hope that they will not stop making us happy with them.

Editor's note: As I said, each mode is good in its own way, but the most fun mode "Winter Battle" sunk into my soul. I hope that someday, he will return to our game clients again.

I hope you were pleased to plunge into such memories (and it will be useful for beginners to know for the history of the game). All the best and successful battles, tankers!

Tankers!

Very soon, on January 5, a special game mode "Winter Battle" will appear in the game. This means that winter evenings will become even more fun!

How to play the new mode? It's simple: select one of the three assigned tanks* (8-bit analogues of the T 110E 5, AMX 50 Foch (155) and LTTB) and press the button To battle!. After that, you will be taken to a special map made in the style of eight-bit games.

Special tanks will be credited on January 5 at 9:00 (Moscow time). Players who will be in the game at the time the specified tanks are credited must log out of the client and log in again - or play a random battle, after which special tanks will be issued. Special tanks are designed exclusively for playing in the Winter Battle mode. Machines are not for sale and will be written off automatically.

What is important to know about the "Winter Battle"

• When: from January 5, 09:00 (MSK) to January 15, 08:30 (MSK).
• Fight time: 7 minutes.
• Format: 10 vs 10 players in the "Random battle" mode or "Super squads" (5 people). In this case, platoons play only against platoons.
• Victory conditions: destroy all enemy vehicles or capture a single base (similar to the Encounter Battle game mode).

Special tanks. Brief explanation

Each of the three tanks has its own specialization. Conventionally, they can be divided into three obvious types:

• "Soldier" (heavy tank);
• "Sniper" (PT-ACS);
• Scout (light tank).

In other words, there are direct analogies with the usual standard game in World of Tanks, where a light tank is designed to “shine”, a heavy tank is designed to break through / hold a direction, and a tank destroyer is to inflict rare, but targeted and painful damage to the enemy. The only difference is that these tanks have an unusually large number of HP and some features:

• Standard emblems, camouflage and inscriptions are not available.
• Statistics on tanks is not kept (does not fall into the general statistics of the player).
• The crew of the tank is invulnerable, and the number corresponds to the original tanks. It can be planted, and in return plant any other. After the decommissioning of tanks, the original crew goes to the Barracks, automatically retraining according to the scheme:
  • From a heavy tank to .
  • From a light tank to .
  • From tank destroyers - to .

Separately, it is worth talking about shells. Here they are of two types, and each of them has its own characteristics.

• Ordinary projectiles (purchased with credits): destroying brick cubes (1 shot = 1 cube) and damaging the enemy (mostly armor-piercing).
• Premium shells (purchased with gold and credits): healing allies (a certain damage multiplier), destroying brick cubes (1 shot = 1 cube), and damaging the enemy (mostly armor-piercing).

"Winter Fights"

« Winter sniper»

« Winter Heavyweight»

« Winter Light"

« Winter platoons»

* Rewards for combat missions summed up.

Playing in the Winter Battle mode, in addition to the above tasks, you will complete a number of hidden combat missions. Also, when calculating the reward for a battle (experience, credits), the presence of a premium account will be taken into account.

All experience earned on tanks after the Winter Battle game mode is disabled will be transferred to the following tanks:

• From a heavy tank to .
• From a light tank to .
• From tank destroyers - to .

At the same time, it doesn't matter if you have these tanks in your Garage at the time the special mode expires.

>

Tankers, on January 5, a special game mode "Winter Battle" appeared in the game. This means that winter evenings will become even more fun!

How to play the new mode? It's simple: select one of the three assigned tanks* (8-bit analogues of the T 110E 5, AMX 50 Foch (155) and LTTB) and press the button To battle!. After that, you will be taken to a special map made in the style of eight-bit games.

Special tanks will be credited on January 5 at 09:00 (UTC). Players who will be in the game at the time the specified tanks are credited must log out of the client and log in again - or play a random battle, after which special tanks will be issued. Special tanks are designed exclusively for playing in the Winter Battle mode. Machines are not for sale and will be written off automatically.

What is important to know about the "Winter Battle"

• If after the appearance of the "Winter Battle" some interface elements disappeared in the game, remove the modifications of the game client (mods). Details.
• When: from January 5, 09:00 (MSK) to January 15, 08:30 (MSK).
• Fight time: 7 minutes.
• Format: 10 vs 10 players in the "Random Battle" or "New Year's Squads" mode (5 people). In this case, platoons play only against platoons.
• Victory conditions: destroy all enemy vehicles or capture a single base (similar to the Encounter Battle game mode).

Special tanks. Brief explanation

Each of the three tanks has its own specialization. Conventionally, they can be divided into three obvious types:

• "Soldier" (heavy tank);
• "Sniper" (PT-ACS);
• Scout (light tank).

In other words, there are direct analogies with the usual standard game in World of Tanks, where a light tank is designed to “shine”, a heavy tank is designed to break through / hold a direction, and a tank destroyer is to inflict rare, but targeted and painful damage to the enemy. The only difference is that these tanks have an unusually large number of HP and some features:

• Standard emblems, camouflage and inscriptions are not available.
• Statistics on tanks is not kept (does not fall into the general statistics of the player).
• After the decommissioning of equipment, the equipment automatically goes to the Warehouse.
• The crew of the tank is invulnerable, and the number corresponds to the original tanks. It can be planted, and in return plant any other. After the decommissioning of tanks, the original crew goes to the Barracks (if there is no space in the Barracks, then temporary slots for the crew will be provided).
• After the release of update 9.6, the crew will be automatically retrained according to the scheme:
  • From a heavy tank to .
  • From a light tank to .
  • From tank destroyers to .

Separately, it is worth talking about shells. Here they are of two types, and each of them has its own characteristics.

• Ordinary projectiles (purchased with credits): destroying brick cubes (1 shot = 1 cube) and damaging the enemy (mostly armor-piercing).
• Premium shells (purchased with gold and credits): healing allies (a certain damage multiplier), destroying brick cubes (1 shot = 1 cube), and damaging the enemy (mostly armor-piercing).

Awards and combat missions

For the victory, the players will be awarded a commemorative medal "Operation Winter".

In addition, within the framework of the Winter Battle, combat missions will be available, for the completion of which rewards* are provided:

"Winter Fights"

« Winter sniper»

« Winter Heavyweight»

« Winter Light"

« Winter platoons»

New Year and Christmas is one of the most popular themes in world art. For most people, it evokes only positive emotions, so artists are happy to depict snow-covered houses, fluffy Christmas trees and heroes in anticipation of the holiday.

AiF.ru presents a selection of paintings dedicated to the New Year and Christmas.

Boris Kustodiev. "Christmas Market" (1918)

Boris Kustodiev. "Christmas tree auction", 1918. Krasnodar Regional Art Museum them. F.A. Kovalenko.

Folk holidays and festivities were one of the artist's favorite themes. And Christmas, of course, occupied a special place in his work.

Viggo Johansen "Merry Christmas" (1891)

Viggo Johansen. " Merry Cristmas", 1891. HIRSCHSPRUNG Museum.

Could not resist the temptation to depict Christmas and the Dane Viggo Johansen- Representative of the Skagen Artists group and director of the Danish Academy of Arts.

Henrietta Ronner-Kniep "Under the Tree" ("Kittens with a Doll")

Henriette Ronner-Kniep. "Under the tree".

The Danish animal artist became famous for her paintings of cats and dogs. Her kittens also became Christmas heroes.

Konstantin Trutovsky "Carols in Little Russia" (no later than 1864)

Konstantin Trutovsky. "Carols in Little Russia", no later than 1864, oil on canvas. State Russian Museum.

The Russian painter became famous for his illustrations for Gogol's works. And he studied the history and traditions of Little Russia with particular predilection.

Grand Duchess Olga Romanova. "New Year's Treat" (1935)

Grand Duchess Olga Romanova. "New Year's treat", 1935.

In the imperial family, all children were taught painting, but only Grand Duchess Olga(youngest daughter of the emperor Alexander III ) became a well-known artist.

Fedor Reshetnikov. "Arrived for the Holidays" (1948)

Fedor Reshetnikov. "Arrived for the holidays", 1948. State Tretyakov Gallery.

Jenny Nystrom. Christmas cards

Christmas card by Jenny Nystrom.

In general, the Swedish artist became famous for her images of nissi - it was she who came up with what this gnome and brownie looks like. She often drew her nissi on Christmas cards - on them the gnomes feed livestock and street birds, carry Christmas trees and gifts, sing songs.

Sergey Dosekin. "Preparing for Christmas" (1896)

Sergei Dosekin. "Preparing for Christmas", 1896.

The picture does not show a Christmas tree and gifts, but the family (grandfather and grandchildren) gathered to make garlands and decorations for the house.

Norman Rockwell. "Very Good Boys and Girls" (1939)

Norman Rockwell. "Highly good boys and girls", 1939.

Now collectors from all over the world are hunting for the paintings of the famous American artist and illustrator. For the image of Santa Claus, who reads the list of "very good" children and develops his route for Christmas night, at Christie's auction in 2007 they raised $ 2.5 million (the illustration graced the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine).

Stuart Sherwood. Untitled

Artwork by Stuart Sherwood.

The self-taught Canadian painter is especially fond of depicting Christmas: in his paintings you can meet Santa, snow-covered houses, and Teddy bears. Sherwood also creates more “serious” works - for example, he painted portraits Pope and .

What bliss that the snows sparkle
That the cold got stronger, and it drizzled in the morning,
That foil sparkles wildly and gently
On every corner and in the shop window.
While serpentine, tinsel, rigmarole
They rise above the boredom of other possessions,
The languor of New Year's Eve weeks
endure and endure - what a wondrous fate ...

(Bella Akhmadulina, December 1974)

1. (Illustrator Alexander Dudin, 1953.)

I begin my New Year's review of paintings dedicated to the annual celebration of Christmas and the New Year's Eve with this general symbolic generalized illustration to create the appropriate mood for the reader. This does not mean that I will show reproductions with ordinary decorated Christmas trees and children and adults having fun around them, but I will try to show something unbanal, but original from this set of paintings on the named topic, which, as it turned out, not so many artists painted. If we did not collect the entire classical biblical series of paintings painted by the great masters of the past, then the title and objectives of our study would be different. But there are modern original exclusive painting scenes that are worth highlighting and showing as a reflection of the Christmas holiday and the New Year.…

Naturally, I cannot, in my usual manner, evaluate the New Year and Christmas paintings under consideration from the point of view of a doctor, as I tried to do in previous reviews, but I will try to discuss reproductions as an ordinary spectator and amateur in art. And he has the right in his present review to pick up non-trivial plots, rare paintings famous artists and images unexpected for some authors, pictures with humor and exclusive stories. But they are all written on the occasion of Christmas or New Year holidays, often combining both celebrations.

For example, completely unusual picture Salvador Dali, written for a French women's magazine"Vogue" (pronounced vogue, with fr. - "fashion") is a women's fashion magazine, published since 1892 by Condé Nast Publications, taken as a joke of a genius.

As far as I could see and understand, it shows two parts of an open arch in the form of a man and a woman leaning over, from whose mouths green Christmas decorations - droplets or light bulbs - fall on a pendant. The divided balusters are made as parts of a person's face. Above you can see fir-trees with bright and ray-like luminous lights ...

1. Dali's Christmas design for Vogue 1946. The artist depicted an allegorical New Year's landscape with metaphorical details of decor and architecture…

It is quite natural that the artists could not ignore such subjects, which had to be transferred to canvases with their magic brushes. Where else can you find paintings for funny images, fabulous, colorful, funny and fantastic in content, if not during the Christmas and New Year holidays?

1. This is one of the old German engravings, in which children and Santa Claus himself gathered at the "Klaus tree" (German: Klausbaum). Engraving from german book 50 picture fables for kids.

Of course, there are hardly any paintings by the great masters of the past, when there were no traditions to mark these days and draw them on pictures. After all, the first mention of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ in Russia appeared only at the very end of the 15th century. And to celebrate the new year with a Christmas tree even later.

1. Painting unknown artist about meeting the new year in peasant hut before or in the first years after the October Revolution.

On December 15, 1699, Peter 1 issued a decree on a new chronology, in connection with which, the New Year began to be celebrated on January 1. Because of the enthusiasm of Peter I for Europe, the celebration of the New Year began to be held in the manner adopted there. The celebrations have become a more cheerful and bright event for the Russian people. Based on Dutch traditions, people began to decorate their homes with coniferous branches, which were supposed to remain until the birth of Christ. The New Year holiday also has its main character - Santa Claus, fairy tale character, who also came to us from Europe in the second half of the 19th century under the name of Santa Claus. In the Russian tradition, he had a granddaughter, Snegurochka.

On this bright holiday

On this bright holiday -
Christmas holiday
We will tell each other
Nice words.

Quietly the snow falls:
Outside the window winter
A miracle will happen here
And set hearts on fire.

May your smiles
On this wonderful day
Will be our happiness
And a gift to everyone.

The sounds of life flow
Happiness and goodness
Illuminating thoughts
Light of Christmas.
- Khomyakov Alexey Stepanovich (1804-1860)

True, even before Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, the first guest who came on New Year's Eve was the Snow Woman or Snowman, made up of rolled balls of fresh snow, facial features marked with charcoal, a carrot instead of a nose, a bucket or pan on his head, and brooms in his hands from branches …

Children are friends with him in the yard.
He loves frost and wind.
Won't go where he wants
And it stays from morning to night.
He doesn't eat, doesn't drink, doesn't sleep,
And above him the snow is flying ...
He is not used to living in warmth.
From - ha - yes - whether? (Snowman)

(Aleksandrenko Elena)

1. "Snegurochka" (literally, "girl from the snow").

But the artist Sergei Sviridov decided to diversify the company of the usual snowmen or Snowwomen and painted the Snow Maiden in the form of a small sprout of a snowwoman in a typical appearance from rolled balls of fresh snow, facial features lined with coals and buttons, a carrot instead of a nose, a red bucket or a saucepan on her head (still , woman!) and brooms in the hands of branches ... And from under the bucket-hat sticks out a blond "tuft of hair" from a chip or twigs of a broom ...

This Snow Girl - the Snow Maiden stands in the yard near the decorated Christmas tree and waits for a real girl to appear from the window in the morning and smile at her, exclaiming: - “Happy New Year, dear friend!”

Our other guest will be Santa Claus, whom he brought

1. painter Valentin Gubarev in the picture "New Year's". The artist, endowed with a bright personality and a special, unbanal vision of the world, draws his subjects with great humor. One of which shows the arrival of Santa Claus, sitting on a children's sleigh with his legs bent. The sledge is pulled by a long-nosed, not thin lady in a wide coat and a red hat. Probably the teacher of the local school, which the teachers' council instructed to organize a meeting of the New Year. A cheerful ginger puppy shows her the way, turning his head towards her and advising her with sonorous barking where to go next. Santa rides through a Russian village with a bell tower visible in the distance...

A different vision of Santa Claus is offered us in a beautiful image by the Canadian self-taught painter Stuart Sherwood, who loves to paint everything related to the Christmas holidays, not sparing bright red hues and humor, as in this untitled painting. But we ourselves can describe it, as it seems to us:

1. Here he is lying down in a comfortable position in white socks with an uncombed white mop of hair on his head and face, continuing in a long beard, on an armchair with a retractable footrest, and carefully reads the list of gifts and addresses, what and where he has to deliver all this to New Year. According to the recommendations in the Very Good Boys and Girls book lying next to Teddy on the floor.

1. And in this hilarious 1939 painting by the American popular artist Norman Rockwell, Santa Claus is sitting on a stepladder by a world map, also reading a list of "very good" kids, and working out his itinerary for Christmas night. By the way, many collectors hunt for his paintings. And at a Christie's auction in 2007, their selection fetched $2.5 million (the illustration graced the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine). (We will meet with this artist in the course of the story).

Now you can get acquainted with the images of Russian Snow Maidens, which have taken root only in Russia in the paintings of Russian artists. And among them is the first Snow Maiden in the painting of the same name by V.M. Vasnetsov, drawn by him back in 1899.

1. The Snow Maiden - the daughter of Spring and Frost - is a favorite fairy tale character of the Christmas holidays, although the libretto of the opera does not say about Christmas and the New Year, but reveals the tragic love story of the Snow Maiden and the shepherd Lel and her death from the rays of the Yarilo - Sun, because she knew love not being human. Nevertheless, Vasnetsov painted his picture under the influence of the fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" and the opera created by it by Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1881), written, in turn, based on the play of the same name by Alexander Ostrovsky (1873).
   In the picture, as in the scenery of an opera, there is a fabulously beautiful night: a snow-covered forest flooded with moonlight, a starry sky. Her fur coat, mittens, hat absorbed all the shades of snow, forest, sky. Dazzling white snow, blue-green night, young Christmas trees on foreground- everything in the picture is shown authentically with the extraordinary accuracy of the brush of a great master - a singer of Russian nature.

1. Mikhail Vrubel presented his image of The Snow Maiden, (1890). The picture is written in the manner of post-impressionism. The prototype of the image of the Snow Maiden, his Muse (as well as the Sea Princess and Spring), has always been his wife, actress Nadezhda Ivanovna Zabela. Throughout her married life, she was a mystery to the artist with her inherent attractive power.

In the guise of the Snow Maiden, the artist showed the girl's snow-covered loose curls, sparkling large snowflakes on them, like precious jewelry. In her face, which he always liked, a languid, slightly surprised look is captured, and there is still some childishness in her closed lips. Snow-covered spruce branches cast patterned shadows with a bluish tinge. As the mistress of a fairy-tale forest, the Snegurochka-magician is not afraid of cold and frost, and her childish, tender bare brushes just want to be hidden in a muff or put on mittens on them ...

But this picture, like the previous one, only by its name refers to Christmas or the New Year, symbolizing their coming and our custom to generalize them.

But we were distracted by the people of the New Year celebrations and forgot to buy Christmas trees! We immediately go to the Christmas tree markets in order to have time to acquire this important and beautiful attribute of the New Year holiday. Here is one such painting by Henry Manizer. And it would be a pity not to show it, because it has all the breadth and character of the Russian soul, long coats of women and sheepskin coats of men, scarves and winter fur hats, hubbub and unbridled joy on their faces.

1. Henry Manizer "Christmas tree auction". As it is written in a footnote under the picture - “Before Christmas, three days, in the markets, in the squares, there is a forest of Christmas trees. And WHAT Christmas trees! This goodness in Russia as much as you want. There used to be a forest on Theater Square.

And another Christmas tree bazaar, painted by the provincial Russian artist Alexander Bukchuri:

1. Buchkuri Alexander Alekseevich (1870-1942) in 1906. At this bazaar, a calmer audience, obviously from wealthy families, with their children chooses a tree and other attributes that they like to decorate a Christmas tree and a house. The goods are placed around separately so that the buyer can appreciate the beauty of the Christmas tree, the reception is already fixed on the crosses. Buy it, take it home and immediately put it on the place prepared in advance in the room.

And now everything is on the Christmas Tree Market, drawn ten years later. B.M. Kustodiev, unfortunately, was already chained to a chair due to the growing paralysis of his legs ...

Folk holidays and festivities were one of the artist's favorite themes. And Christmas, of course, occupied a special place in his work. The picture shows what happens somewhere in Russia on New Year's Eve. Crowds of buyers, carts with horses loaded in them, beautiful Christmas trees carried to the sleigh. They sell Christmas trees for decorating the house, for the fun of children, for a festive mood, for the not easy, but exciting process of decorating a Christmas tree, which is done by the whole family, as shown in the following picture.

1. Boris Kustodiev. "Christmas tree auction", 1918. Krasnodar Regional Art Museum. F.A. Kovalenko.

I remember the previous excitement with buying a Christmas tree in advance and temporarily placing it on the balcony. As well as boxes of old toys pulled out of cabinets, chests of drawers removed from the mezzanine. The appearance of new, especially German, materials that were distinguished by their beautiful colors and weightlessness ... The smells of old cotton wool, toys, especially soft ones that absorbed and preserved them, traces of confetti or all sorts of powders and the crunch of broken fragments underfoot, which will be swept up, but will not disappear until the end of the New Year holidays…

Christmas
My calendar is semi-disgraced
blossomed like a crimson figure;
on glass palm trees and opals
cold spellcasting brought.
Cirrus poured out a pattern,
radiant arched,
and tangerines and boron
the living room smells blue.
- Vladimir Nabokov, September 23, 1921, Berlin

1. Sergei Vasilyevich Dosekin - Preparing for Christmas, (1896). The picture does not yet show a Christmas tree and gifts, but the family gathered to make garlands and decorations for the house. It's not like going to the store and at the Christmas tree bazaar of toys to choose those that are to your liking or ordered by kids, whose fantasies sometimes exceed the capabilities of retail chains and parents. And advertising is often to blame. Like this one:

On the advertising canvas this case paintings by the American artist Nicky Boehm, it is proposed to see how best to arrange and decorate everything in the house on its section in a series of bright and colorful paintings: "A BEAUTIFUL WINTER TALE FROM NICKY BOEHME (NICKY BOEHME)".

1. The “viewers”, fascinated by the show of the interior, have already gathered and are ready to sign a press release with recommendations for consumers and retail chains. Everyone is delighted! And penguins, and a squirrel, and a cat with a dog, as well as a gazelle ... People have not yet gathered, but our younger brothers have already sensed and rushed in early.

The Christmas tree is also decorated alone, if something didn’t work out, or before the wedding in a white wedding dress, as worn by this charming girl with a sad, as it seems to me, face. Although sadness is also calm, temporary. And tomorrow her face, perhaps, will light up with a cheerful joyful smile, and Christmas tree rainbow lights will be reflected in her eyes ...

1. 
   Alexei Mikhailovich Korin - Christmas tree, 1910

But there is also a sad decoration of the Christmas tree by two lonely women, perhaps a mother with an unlucky or abandoned (divorced) daughter, who has a handkerchief in her hands, perhaps she is crying ...

1. Joseph Ripl-Ronai. "Winter evening. Decorating a Christmas Tree, 1910. One of the women prepares another candle, attaching it to the Christmas tree. Her face is sad and thoughtful, for she is experiencing an even sadder state of the second woman sitting at the table and covering her face with her hands. This state is referred to as "Facepalm" (English face - face, palm - palm). This is a physical gesture - "a face closed hands,” which is a manifestation of disappointment, shame, despondency, irritation or embarrassment. This gesture is sometimes called the "rukalitso" or "manhand") ...

   This is the first time I have come across such terms... So, this is her adult daughter, her child, because under the picture there is such an entry - "Child-facepalm"... Maybe. Do not argue with the author.

And in the next picture of the same Hungarian artist, again the same gloomy atmosphere on Christmas evening, in which one, younger woman, writes something on an open secretary. An older one, perhaps the mother, stands in a state of frustration, waiting for the letter to be completed. Both are dressed in coats and hats and are about to leave the house. An elderly lady seems to have a stick in her hand for support when walking ...

1. Joseph Rippl-Rhone. Christmas. 1903.

On a bedside table in a clay pot, against the background of a carpet, there is a modestly decorated small Christmas tree. On the sides are two unlit candles under burgundy lampshades... Not everyone celebrates holidays cheerfully and carefree.

Christmas romance...
Your New Year in dark blue
Wave in the middle of the urban sea
Floating in inexplicable anguish,
Like life starts again
As if there will be light and glory
Have a good day and plenty of bread
As if life will swing to the right,
swinging to the left.
(Joseph Alexandrovich Brodsky (1961)

1. Edvard Munch "Christmas in a brothel", 1904.

The painting "Christmas in a Brothel" by the famous and talented Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in the style of expressionism was completed in 1904/05. and housed in the Munch Museum in Oslo. The painting was created at a difficult time for Munch. As a result of various worries, Munch suffered from disturbing mental states, which he tried to cope with with the help of alcohol and drugs. He had to periodically be treated in a psychiatric clinic.

A visit to a brothel in Lübeck, around Christmas, caused him a state of "slight melancholy" due to the impressionability of the situation when the "working" girls had just finished decorating the Christmas tree. He considered the picture he painted ironic, sentimental and ugly. Prostitution was Munch's favorite topic , and later he would create a whole series of paintings, The Green Room.

But we again digress from the main task - to prepare for the New Year, and the toys are not all hung on numerous Christmas trees. Some of them lie on the table, which is depicted in the painting by the modern artist T.V. Bessonova.

1. Bessonova Tamara Vladimirovna "New Year", 1955

From under the mask of the sad Pierrot, beautiful Christmas-tree paws are visible, and between them is a masquerade colorful, all in sparkles, mask, and a simpler monkey at the feet. And fans for masks for a masquerade and various large balls, which little Petrushka in the foreground looked with surprise ...

1. An unknown artist presented "Festive another table of gifts for a girl" for Christmas, (1840) . “Table of Christmas Gifts for a Girl,” unknown artist .

The girl - a doll, sitting at the table, against the backdrop of a sparsely decorated Christmas tree, shows few objects, possibly gifts. There are yellow shoes, a white blouse with a blue belt, garlands of pink paper flowers, a basket of apples and a vase ... Shoes, really for a girl, but a doll replaces her with this strange picture ... What the author wanted to say. There is no one to ask, since we do not know him.

And if there are still few toys in the paintings presented so far, then the shops are still open and the metro is still working and it looks something like Natasha Villon painted them: The escalators are overcrowded, they can barely accommodate all the customers with bags, bags, children with toys in their hands. Everyone rushes home to have time to decorate the Christmas tree and prepare goodies and outfits. Christmas has begun and the New Year will soon come ... The picture of the New Year's metro is filled with noise, movement. Everyone is excited and humor is visible in each of the passengers descending into the subway along the escalator. The hat - cap almost fell on the girl's face, and from under the cap - "airfield" only black mustaches clearly emerge. Two loaves, like the ears of a hare, emphasize the face of a woman in a black headscarf, standing with eyes closed and not afraid to fall because of the intimidating density of the crowd ... A funny girl with a big bear smiles at a dark-skinned small boy with big skis.

Soon the escalator will be freed from the people we already know, who will disperse in different directions. And others will fill the miraculous staircase until they run out completely ...

1. Artist Natasha Villon, New Year's Eve Metro

Sometimes a grandmother, who has more free time, while still at work or at school, begins to decorate the Christmas tree herself, looking at the toys and remembering each one, what it is called and where it should be hung ... It is possible that the grandmother suddenly begins to remember the Christmas holidays or meeting the new year in their young years. And the toy in her hand lingers until the kaleidoscope of episodes or specific individuals from the memories of distant childhood or youth has passed ... Let's not interfere with her.

1. Egor Zaitsev "Christmas Tree", 1996

I would like to hope that another grandmother, somewhere in Ukraine, had previously prepared everything from treats for the arrival of her grandchildren and children. In any case, when you look at the tables placed in the kitchen and what is set on them, you salivate yourself, and when you try it, you will lick your fingers. I know for sure that Ukrainian buns, dumplings, dumplings with anything are the most delicious. In makitras there are grated poppy seeds and kutya, Under towels - slices or a piece of bacon, roasted pig in sour cream with a crispy crust, and various pickles in jars. In general, you can’t list everything, but, judging by the picture, everything is provided for by the caring grandmother and is ready to be served on the table.

1. Nadezhda Poluyan-Vnukova (Ukraine) - "At Grandma's before Christmas".

So did the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Romanova, who became an artist in Soviet Russia. In her picture, she also prepared a New Year's treat and a festive table set under a decorated Christmas tree is ready to receive guests.

1. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Romanova (sister of Emperor Nicholas II) "New Year's treat". (1935).

In the imperial family, all children were taught painting, but only the Grand Duchess Olga (the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexander III) became a fairly well-known artist.

It seems to me that the colors in the picture are faded. They either faded from time to time, or the princess did not have the opportunity to buy the best. After all, she was deprived in Soviet times and was no longer a princess ...

And now you can invite guests and start celebrating Christmas and the New Year, which was painted by the artist A.F. Chernyshov.

1. Scenes from family life Emperor Nicholas I.
   Christmas tree in the Anichkov Palace.
   Artist Chernyshev A.F.

In the picture, women in elegant ball gowns, men in tailcoats and uniforms, children in elegant and fashionable dresses and suits for their age. The Christmas trees in the hall are decorated, and there are huge chandeliers on the ceiling. Everything is solemn and decorous, because the presence of royalty or members of his family, and even the emperor of Russia himself, is felt.

Charles Green (?). "Christmas only happens once a year" (1896). Charles Green, “Christmas Comes But Once A Year,”

Wealthy family. Christmas Dinner (another name for the painting). Guests are served by a maid or cook (cook, cook) in a cap and apron. She brings a steaming roast turkey to which the eyes of the guests are drawn. Although some are indifferent and busy talking. Obviously, the owner is standing and keeps order on the table and in service ...

That's all I could find out about this picture, and shown on the Internet more than once. Even about the artist it was not possible to find any information, except for the name, but the picture corresponds to the idea of ​​describing the chosen topic.

1. Viggo Johansen "Merry Christmas" (1891) Viggo Johansen. "Merry Christmas", 1891. HIRSCHSPRUNG Museum.
   The Dane Viggo Johansen, a representative of the Skagen Artists group and director of the Danish Academy of Arts, could not resist the temptation to depict Christmas.

A dressed-up beauty Christmas tree shines brightly in a darkened room. Around her, the mothers or older sisters of the children staged a round dance, in which all participants, holding hands, dance, dance and sing in Danish ...

So, New Year's and Christmas days have come and continue. In the course of the celebrations, new ones arise or all sorts of imperfections and worries are remembered. Like, for example, these two charming girls (maybe the eldest is a gentle boy - the viewer will figure it out) decided to light additional decorative fragrant candles under the Christmas tree on the roof of a beautiful medieval castle. Or set a flag on the tower ...

1. Felix Ehrlich "Christmas", (1889). "Christmas" Felix Ehrlich (1866-1931) a German artist beautifully and subtly painted this delicate children's picture. What a pleasure and Beautiful face the older girl (boy?), pale pink, white hands, all of her in a natural pose. Like the youngest, frozen from the impression and watching with attention what her sister is doing. I also look and can not tear myself away from these charming children ...

Carl Olof Larsson was considered "hillbilly" by some of his critics for his craving for depicting rural scenes. (Carl Olof Larsson, 1853-1919). Swedish painter and author of frescoes, oil paintings and watercolors, considered one of the most revered Swedish painters. Larsson's mother was a laundress, and his father was a simple worker.

1. Carl Larsson dressed up the girl in a clearly rural outfit in a typical folk style. This colorful blouse and a bright red apron on a black skirt are very suitable for the same colored hat, famously put on the head of a beautiful teenager that it is impossible to admire her. It was not in vain that they put her on a chair, probably not for an empty look, but for the performance of poetry or a song. Although, it seems she is attaching a candle to a branch of a Christmas tree. But the girl is shy at the same time and, blushing, lowered her head ...

In another picture by the same author, a boy in a Santa hat and ridiculously oversized boots either adds toys, or reads out a text, and one of the older girls or a mother looks and listens to the boy. And Carl Larsson exclaims in his painting:

Now it's chirstmas again! Now it's Christmas again!

Children go to bed early
On the last day of December
And wake up a year older
On the first day of the calendar.
The year begins in silence
Unfamiliar from past winters:
Noise behind the double frame
We can barely catch it.
But the guys are calling out
Winter day through the ice glass -
In a refreshing cold
From cozy warmth.
With a kind word we will remember
Years of old care,
Starting early in the morning
New day and new year!

(Children will go to bed early ... S. Marshak)

1. Children early in the morning, not even dressed yet, hid at the door of the room where a decorated Christmas tree stands, looking out for a bag of gifts under the Christmas tree ...

The American artist Henry Mosler in his painting "Christmas Morning" (1916) depicted a moment of anticipation of pleasure and excitement from the possibility of receiving the usual and long-awaited gifts from Santa Claus, who never forgets about them. He won't forget!

No wonder he guards the New Year's Eve dream of a girl in a painting by another American artist, admiring her and the serene expression of her face...

1. "Santa Claus", (1921). The work of American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell.

The wise, kind Santa Claus plucks his beard and carefully looks at the facial expression and listens to the breathing of the sleeping girl, trying to unravel her dream and guess her future. And on her beautiful and gentle face one can see a light kind smile. Probably one of the most pleasant dreams, which are often morning dreams, when you don’t want to wake up at all ...

Another Christmas morning in a large family.

1. 
   Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller "Christmas Morning" (1844). Belvedere, Vienna. Father, mother, grandmother, still married, possibly childless couple - all are busy with family (I didn’t count any more) children of different, but close ages, who are not yet fully dressed, but are already active, cheerful and cheerful. This mood is transmitted to adults and gives them joy and satisfaction on this bright festive Christmas morning.

Another painting by the same master shows a cheerful mise-en-scene of the arrival of the whole family with grandchildren to their grandmother with Christmas greetings and gifts

1. Norman Rockwell paints a stormy and noisy moment when the family comes to their grandmother, who lives separately. And the grandson shouts at the top of his voice: We have arrived, granny! Merry christmas! We arrived in our new Plymouth! Merry Grandma… We Came in Our New Plymouth! (The picture was drawn in 1951.)

It seems strange to me the number of gifts, but we do not know the composition of the grandmother's family ...

And on the road a few pictures of animal painters, depicting the moments of half-preparation of cats for the new year.

1. Painting by a talented successor to the dynasty of artists of Neftekamsk - Alexander Mokhov, 2005.

The author of the picture tells about a curious red cat with white spots on its muzzle, swinging a large ball with its paw, hanging on Christmas tree “paws” inserted into a vase. The cat admires the changing highlights of color on it as the ball rotates. On the table are the remains of a meal with orange peels, a burning candle in a glass and a glass. Nearby is a dark bottle of wine.

1. I. Demina "New Year's table" from the album "New Year is coming soon" 2013. Modern young artist. Born in 1988. Her picture of a mischievous, cunning and serene dirty gray-brown cat is hard not to notice and not appreciate. Leaving on festive table his leftovers, neatly stacked on plates, he lies in a serene pose, resting his head on his paw, brazenly looks at the stunned hostess, expecting a thrashing from her, but continues to suck wine from a glass, thinking: “Ah, what will be, will be!” . Like, not for the first time ... Myav at them at all ....

   Cute and funny kittens treat the doll very casually, tearing off her wig with a scythe reclining on it ... And the Christmas tree is barely visible, since kittens are in the mise-en-scène of the plot.

   But it’s already midnight on the clock, which means that the New Year has already arrived and we should celebrate it as it should be with a glass of champagne in our hand, which we helped to do in the last picture offered to your attention:

   

   1. 
      The work of the world-famous illustrator Inge Löök. Inge Look is a well-known artist in Finland, who became famous for her cheerful aunts-ladies, and in Russian translation - old women-laughers. Paintings with their images have long settled in in social networks. Here in this picture, the aunts, having glued their mustaches, celebrated the New Year with a cake and a glass of champagne ...

   That I wish you all to do this, when the fiery (or “fried”) rooster is a symbol of the future of 2017, you will peck at ...