Art (Chekhov)
Short summary
A gloomy winter morning in rural Russia. On the frozen river Bystryanka, two peasants prepared to create a Jordan - an ice sculpture for the Epiphany ceremony. Seryozhka, who held the compasses, berated Matvey for his clumsiness and incompetence.
While Matvey did the heavy labor of breaking ice and carrying materials, Seryozhka constantly criticized him, frequently abandoning work to drink in the village. Despite his laziness and difficult personality, the villagers respected Seryozhka's artistic talent and helped him gather materials for his creation.
Seryozhka in himself is a nonentity, a sluggard, a drunkard, and a wastrel, but when he has his red lead or compasses in his hand he is at once something higher, a servant of God.
On Epiphany morning, thousands gathered to see Seryozhka's famous Jordan. When the mats covering his creation were removed, the crowd gasped at the dazzling ice lectern, cross, and dove that glittered with thousands of colors. As the priests blessed the water, guns fired and bells pealed. Seryozhka's soul filled with glory and triumph as he witnessed thousands of eyes fixed upon his magnificent creation.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction of Seryozhka and Matvey on the frozen river
On a gloomy winter morning, two peasants stood on the frozen surface of the Bystryanka river. One was Seryozhka, a short-legged, ragged man of thirty with an angry expression, holding a compass made of two pointed sticks. The other was Matvey, a fine-looking old man in a new sheepskin and high felt boots, gazing mildly at the village on the high bank.
Seryozhka broke the silence, impatiently asking if they were going to stand around all day. He demanded that Matvey show initiative and begin working. When Matvey hesitantly asked for guidance, Seryozhka handed him the compass to mark out the ice. Matvey awkwardly attempted to draw a circle while Seryozhka watched contemptuously, clearly enjoying the old man's incompetence.
The drawing of the Jordan and Seryozhkas domineering attitude
Frustrated with Matvey's efforts, Seryozhka snatched the compass and effortlessly drew a perfect circle on the ice, creating the outline for the Jordan. Instead of proceeding with the work, he spent time posturing and complaining, declaring that he was not obliged to work for Matvey since the latter was employed by the church.
He obviously enjoys the peculiar position in which he has been placed by the fate that has bestowed on him the rare talent of surprising the whole parish once a year by his art.
Seryozhka began working reluctantly, with visible vexation and anger. His laziness was apparent as he had barely finished drawing the circle before he was already eager to go to the village to drink tea and lounge about. He left, instructing Matvey to prepare a place to sit and sweep the area. Matvey waited patiently for hours, standing motionless by the river while Seryozhka was gone.
Creating the ice lectern, cross, and dove
When Seryozhka finally returned, he immediately criticized Matvey for standing idle. Matvey crossed himself, took the crowbar in both hands, and began breaking the ice according to the drawn circle. Seryozhka sat on a box, watching and commanding Matvey's every move. A crowd gathered on the bank, which only made Seryozhka more excited and boastful about his Jordan-making skills.
By three o'clock, despite the difficulty of the work and Seryozhka's senseless commands, Matvey had created a large circle of dark water in the Bystryanka. Seryozhka was still dissatisfied, claiming it was better the previous year. He ordered Matvey to bring a wooden ring, which he placed over the hole in the ice. The ring fit perfectly and only needed fresh paint.
Poor mild Matvey has to listen to many venomous and contemptuous words from him. Seryozhka sets to work with vexation, with anger. He is lazy. He has hardly described the circle when he is already itching to go...
Seryozhka made the pegs himself, knowing they were believed to have miraculous power - whoever obtained one after the blessing of the water would be lucky for the whole year. The real work began the following day when Seryozhka displayed his full talent. He constantly criticized Matvey, finding fault with everything he did. When Matvey sawed out a piece of ice for a lectern, Seryozhka berated him for breaking off a corner and made him start over.
Their task was elaborate: a lectern was to stand by the hole in the ice, with a carved cross and open gospel on it. Behind the lectern would be a high cross visible to the entire crowd, topped with a dove carved from ice. The path from the church to the Jordan would be strewn with fir and juniper branches. Seryozhka worked meticulously on the lectern with a file, chisel, and awl, successfully creating the cross, gospel, and drapery before beginning on the dove. Meanwhile, Matvey coated a wooden cross with layers of ice, a difficult job requiring great strength and patience.
Painting and decorating the Jordan
After completing the delicate work, Seryozhka raced about the village searching for suitable paints. His pockets were filled with ochre, dark blue, red lead, and verdigris. He rushed from shop to shop, taking what he needed without paying. He even drank at the tavern and left without settling his bill. From one hut he obtained beetroot leaves, from another an onion skin to make yellow dye.
One creates, the others help him. Seryozhka in himself is a nonentity... but when he has his red lead or compasses in his hand he is at once something higher, a servant of God.
Despite his behavior, no one complained. The villagers smiled at him, called him Sergey Nikititch, and helped him in his work. They understood that his art was not merely his personal affair but something that concerned the entire community. Though Seryozhka was ordinarily a sluggard, a drunkard, and a wastrel, when he worked with his tools, he became something greater - a servant of God.
The Epiphany ceremony and public admiration
On Epiphany morning, the church precincts and both riverbanks were crowded with people. Everything that made up the Jordan was carefully concealed under new mats. Seryozhka moved meekly among the mats, trying to control his emotion at seeing thousands of people, many who had traveled miles through frost and snow to witness his celebrated creation. Matvey, having completed his rough work, had returned to the church and was already forgotten.
The church bells rang out, and thousands of heads were bared in reverence. Seryozhka could barely contain his impatience. After the bells rang for the Sacrament, banners emerged from the church one after another. Trembling with anticipation, Seryozhka pulled away the mat, revealing his extraordinary creation to the crowd. The lectern, wooden ring, pegs, and cross in the ice shimmered with thousands of colors. The cross and dove glittered so brilliantly that it hurt to look at them.
Seryozhka listens to this uproar, sees thousands of eyes fixed upon him, and the lazy fellow's soul is filled with a sense of glory and triumph.
A murmur of wonder and delight spread through the crowd. The procession, glittering with icons and vestments, slowly approached the Jordan. The priests conducted the service deliberately, prolonging the joy of communal prayer. When they finally plunged the cross into the water, the air erupted with extraordinary noise - guns firing, bells pealing, shouts of delight, and people rushing to get the pegs. Amid this uproar, Seryozhka listened and watched as thousands of eyes fixed upon him, his soul filled with a sense of glory and triumph.