The Great Taking of the Veil is an oil-on-canvas painting executed in 1897–98 by the Russian Symbolist painter Mikhail Nesterov. It is now in the collection of the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.
| The Great Taking of the Veil | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Mikhail Nesterov |
| Year | 1897–98 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 178 cm × 195 cm (70 in × 77 in) |
| Location | Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg |
The canvas depicts a solemn procession of nuns accompanying a novice to the taking of the veil in the Volga countryside, after which she would renounce her worldly life for a life of religious devotion in a nunnery.[1]
In the artist's words: "The theme is sad, but the reviving nature, the Russian north, quiet and delicate ... makes the picture touching, at least for those who have a tender feeling". It ensured Nesterov's election in 1898 to the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts.
See also
- 100 Great Paintings, 1980 BBC series
- List of paintings by Mikhail Nesterov