30/07/2025
Ivan the Terrible and the Souls of His Victims, circa 1855. Painted by Mikhail Klodt.
This haunting painting portrays the tormented Ivan IV confronted by the ghosts of those he slaughtered. The Tsar, seated on his bed with a terrified expression, covers his ears as spectral figures—warriors, monks, women, and children—accuse him of his atrocities. Illuminated by a dim, ghostly light, the scene exudes an oppressive, nightmarish atmosphere, blending historical guilt with a chilling vision of divine judgment.
