Krasnosel'sk/Krasnosel'skie?

[Kristen Harkness]

Deer SEELANGers,

I'm working on my dissertation on the artists Elena Polenova and  
Mariia Iakunchikova.  I've come across a passage in one of Polenova's  
letters that I can't quite figure out and am hoping one of you can  
help.  She is writing to her brother, the painter Vasilii Polenov,  
about the art she has seen on a trip to Germany:

  "Но зато, Вася, если бы ты видел, что  
здешние немцы выставляют в своем  
Саксонском «Kunst Verein» … О боже мой, наши  
красносельские и компания совсем  
перед ними бледнеют."

"No zato, Vasia, esli by ty videl, chto zdeshnie nemtsy vystavliaiut v  
svoem Saksonskom 'Kunst Verein' … O bozhe moi, nashi krasnosel'skie i  
kompaniia sovsem pered nimi bledneiut."

I don't know of anyone she knew either in the city of Krasnosel'sk or  
the Krasnoe selo near Moscow.  There was also a Krasnoe selo that was  
near Petersburg at that time (now part of the city), so she could be  
referring to acquaintances that lived there that I just don't know  
about.  I'm wondering, however, if there might have been a slang use  
of "krasnosel'skie" like "hicks" or "prudes."  Anyone know?

Thanks in advance.

Kristen


Kristen Harkness
PhD Candidate
University of Pittsburgh
History of Art and Architecture
104 Frick Fine Arts Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
kmhst16 at pitt.edu




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