[20] In a letter to the artist Ivan Kramskoi, dated 22 December 1878, Savitsky wrote: "I would give a lot to have one of my friends talk to me about the painting I am writing now.

The reviewers, including authors of various periodicals, noted the painting's lack of compositional integrity, insufficient connection between groups and inaccuracies in the depiction of perspective.

[12] An observer for the Novoye Vremya newspaper wrote that Savitsky's work contained "abundant material for a dozen paintings", which was the reason that "the artist himself could not make sense of the mass of those leaving and seeing off".

Nevertheless, the critic from the Peterburgskaya Gazeta recognised that "the scenes and types are excellent, the expressions both in the movements and on the faces are vital, truthful and deeply felt".

It is possible that Savitsky was also influenced by the works of other artists, particularly Vasily Surikov's multi-figure historical painting, The Morning of the Streltsy Execution, which was presented at the Peredvizhniki exhibition in 1881.

In the opinion of art historian Dmitri Sarabianov, the paintings Dark People (1882, Russian Museum), Horse Thief (1883) and Krutchnik (1884) are the most appropriate examples of such works.

This was likely due to the artist's removal or softening of several episodes present in the initial version of the painting, which depicted the disenfranchisement of soldiers and the abuse of authority.

"[18] Despite the favourable reviews that the painting To War received at the 16th travelling exhibition, Savitsky continued working on it, thereby postponing its transfer to the customer.

Additionally, it was displayed alongside works by Academy artists, such as Wilhelm Kotarbiński's Orgy, Konstantin Makovsky's Kissing Ceremony, and Henryk Siemiradzki's Christ and Sinner.

[29] The canvas To War is currently on display in Hall 31 of the Mikhailovsky Palace, where it can be seen alongside such works as Harvest time (The Reapers) by Grigoriy Myasoyedov, In a Warm Lands by Nikolai Yaroshenko, and others.

[27][16] The painting, which is a multi-figure composition, does not depict military action but instead portrays the grief of relatives and friends as they bid farewell to soldiers – reserve conscripts – who are going off to war.

[33][34] By opting to portray the last minutes before the separation, the artist was able to "show the actors at a time when all the feelings and thoughts, usually hidden from view, are more vividly manifested".

In the background, at the rear of the composition, the soldiers who have already bidden their relatives farewell are climbing the platform, attempting to, for the final time, catch the gaze of those who have come to see them off.

As posited by art historian Elena Levenfish, the image of this youthful, vibrant individual serves as a manifestation of defiance against the forces that condemn him and thousands of others to a fate of death.

His wife, held and reassured by her relatives, struggles towards her departing husband, terrified by the imminent separation, "her terrible, heart-rending cry seems to fill the picture".

[39] Obviously, he has seen a lot in his life, so he understands the essence of what is happening better than others - hence, according to Elena Levenfish's description, the "hatred in his sullen gaze, a maturing protest."

It consists of a soldier resting his head on his father's shoulder and a mother holding back tears as she sees her son off to war.

[21] In the background to the left of the painting, partially obscured by the figures in the foreground, is a group of drunken soldiers dancing to a harmonica and violin.

[43] The artist's wife, Valeria Ippolitovna, recalled that Savitsky "fiddled a lot with perspective, especially confused by the figure of the dancing soldier, where the leg is at a great angle".

[1][44] The State Tretyakov Gallery holds three fragments of the original version of the painting To War (canvas, oil, 1880) - A Group of Soldiers with an Accordionist and a Violinist (29.5 × 29.7 cm, Inventory No.

[10] The State Russian Museum owns another fragment of the original version of the painting, A Group Saying Goodbye (oil on canvas on cardboard, 70 × 56 cm, inv.

[11] Among the preparatory materials produced during the creation of the second version of the painting is the study entitled Crying Soldier (canvas, oil, 41.5 × 30 cm, 1880s).

It was initially part of the Vysotsky collection in Moscow, subsequently transferred to the State Museum Fund, and in 1927 was acquired by the Smolensk Art Gallery (inv.

[49] In his article "16th Travelling Exhibition", published in the issue of News and Exchange Gazette [ru] on 6 March 1888, the critic Vladimir Stasov provided a comprehensive analysis of the painting To War, calling it Konstantin Savitsky's best creation.

He wrote that it had enough "faithful human types, national and psychological truth", "tragic, wrenching scenes of farewell, carefree happiness, soldier's bravery, feminine grace and beauty in a simple young Russian peasant woman", and also noted "naivety and simplicity in old men and children", full of movement and life, "diversity of excitement of poor people", "diversity of interests" and ways of expressing them.

In the view of Benois, even if technically Savitsky's most accomplished paintings, including To War, are inferior to those of Ilya Repin, they are nevertheless "quite satisfactory works, standing far above the general level of the school".

Noting the ideological content, the monumentality of the subject and execution, and the popular character of the painting, Sokolnikov pointed out its affinity with the works of Ilya Repin.

[6] In a book published in 1955, art historian Dmitry Sarabianov noted that the main character in To War is the people, through whose tragedy "the contradictions of reality" of the time are revealed.

In Savitsky's painting, this tragedy "takes on an optimistic tone" because of the "great inner strength lurking" in the masses of people depicted by the artist.

It emphasises the "dramatic conflict of the action", which sharpens the feelings of the characters and gives the interpretation of the scene the heroism and suspense of such Surikov paintings as The Morning of the Streltsy Execution and Boyarina Morozova.