Vasily Vereshchagin. On the Way. Bad News From France. The description of the picture.

                                    Tanais Gallery

Napoleon's army was approaching to Smolensk. The coming night found Napoleon in a small Russian village. He had to stay for the night somewhere, but where? The most suitable place was the local church... So Napoleon is sitting alone... There is a paper in his right hand... It is a report from France , Count Daru had arrived not long before. It was the first report for the last 10 days, and what was the news! The plot of General Malet, arrests of the Prefect of Police and the Paris Commandant...

This overwhelming news reached Napoleon in the middle of the endless Russain show-covered plain. He had a lot to think about sitting in the quiet village church...