Vasili Vereshchagin in the United States

During his travels throughout the world, Vasili Vereshchagin visited the United States in 1888 and 1902.' How were Vereshchagin and his art received in the United States? After very successful showing of his paintings on the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78), Central Asia, and India in London during late 1887,2 Vereshchagin arranged with the American Art Association for an exhibition of the collection in the United States in 1888-89. On his arrival in New York on August 26, Americans viewed Vereshchagin as a robust figure with broad shoulders, . . bushy black beard, and benevolent looking face, an artist who was always interesting, original, articulate, frank, affable, and unaffected in conversation.3 He was also known to American painters as rebel against school methods and tradition in art, one whose intense realism had evoked much criticism in Europe.4 Vereshchagin preceded his vast collection of paintings, which did not arrive in New York until October 9. Americans were awed by the size of the shipment which comprised fifty-nine cases (the largest being thirty-seven feet long) containing hundred paintings and sketches. They were somewhat amused by the two heavily bearded and fierce-loking Russians who supervised the unloading of the collection. Indeed, it was noted that six freight cars were required to transport the collection by rail to the port of embarkation in Europe.' It took almost month to prepare the rooms of the American Art

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