War in Ukraine: Christmas packages on the front

The photo has gone viral in Ukraine, it was taken near the Dnieper River where forty Ukrainian soldiers are gathered around a table in a seemingly relaxed atmosphere. It is a reproduction of a painting by Ilya Repin, a very popular painting in Ukraine. We see Cossack ancestors of the current fighters writing insults to the sultan at the head of the Ottoman Empire against whom they were then at war, in the 17th century.

“I wanted to make an iconic image”

Émeric Lhuisset had the idea for its reproduction, he meticulously reconstructed the scene: “I replaced the rifle with a missile launcher, the sabers, I replaced them with Kalashnikovs.” He also added a drone, an important element in the war playing out today in Ukraine, and female characters to stick to the reality of the current front line. “I wanted to make an iconic image and in the end it even exceeded my expectations.” The photo session was organized north of kyiv in September, the artist had to work under drastic security conditions.

Vlad Denysiuk, a Ukrainian soldier who posed in the photo, was proud to forge a link with his ancestors: “If you draw the parallel, the Cossacks in their time defended their country like us, they also fought for their right to live freely and for democracy. It’s a painting about courage and bravery.” Ilya Repin’s painting is exhibited in Russia, it is at the heart of the memorial and cultural battle between the two countries. Émeric Lhuisset wishes to offer a print of his photo to the Kherson museum, looted by the Russian army.