The Cossacks

The setting unfolds in a tranquil, snow-covered Moscow, where the silence is occasionally broken by distant church bells heralding dawn. The streets are largely deserted, with only a few figures stirring—workmen heading to their jobs and an old woman making her way to church. A dim light from Chevalier's Restaurant hints at clandestine activity, contrasting with the stillness outside. The scene captures a moment of transition between night and day, highlighting the stark differences in the lives of the city's gentlefolk and laborers amidst the winter chill.