《原畫作介紹》

吹泡泡
亞力克斯‧阿勒謝維奇‧哈拉莫夫（俄羅斯，1840-1922/1925）
作品年代不詳
油彩、畫布

Blowing Bubbles
Alexis Alexeievich HARLAMOFF( Russia，1840-1922/1925)
Undated
Oil on canvas

亞力克斯‧阿勒謝維奇‧哈拉莫夫（Alexis Alexeievich Harlamoff, 1840-1922/1925）向來喜好描繪孩童，尤其擅長表現孩子優雅、稚嫩或天真的各種樣貌，並曾獲得英國維多利亞女王（Queen Victoria, 1819 - 1901）的讚賞。

此作即為哈拉莫夫孩童題材作品的佳例。畫中的三位小女孩正沉浸在吹泡泡的遊戲裡，右側年紀稍長的褐髮女孩手拿裝有泡泡水的盤子側坐在地毯上，雙眼望著前方傾身向前並低著頭吹泡泡的金髮女孩。另一位繫著髮帶的金髮小女孩則站在左側，專注著把玩手中的泡泡。散佈在地毯周圍的木馬、紙張、羽毛和花瓣等，與孩童們的遊戲場景相互呼應，但它們各自倒落一旁的情景，則顯示著女孩們此刻僅深深沉溺在泡泡遊戲的樂趣裡。坐在地毯上的兩位女孩將無袖長裙「薩拉凡」（sarafan）套在白裙上的裝扮是典型俄羅斯農村的傳統服飾，其中覆蓋在金髮女孩腿前、繡有紅色花紋的布幔更是俄羅斯服飾傳統中常見的「薩拉凡」式樣。然而，女孩們身上衣服略帶灰黃的色調以及略顯破舊的質料，雖暗示著她們貧窮的出身，但同時也將她們白皙的肌膚和白裡透紅的面頰襯托的更為柔嫩可愛。不僅如此，由黑、褐、灰等暗色調繪出老舊的壁爐和擺有各樣器具的陳舊牆面，除了清楚地刻畫出生活不甚富裕的農村家庭場景，同時也與孩子們天真玩耍時的景象形成強烈對比，更加烘托出孩童簡單純真且無憂無慮的神情。此外，孩子手上晶瑩剔透的泡泡也似呼應著孩子清透無邪的特質。

Russian artist Alexis Alexeievich Harlamoff (1840-1922/25) enjoyed painting pictures of children. He was especially gifted at portraying the grace, innocence or naïveté of children. His works were admired by Queen Victoria (1819-1901). 

This work is a perfect example of Harlamoff's paintings of children. In the picture, three little girls are engrossed at blowing bubbles. On the right, the slightly older girl with brown hair is holding a dish of soapy water. She sits sideways on the carpet and gaze down the blonde-haired girl, who is leaning forward to blow bubbles. On the left stands a girl with fair complexion and a ribbon in her hair, who is looking mesmerized by the bubbles in her hands. The overturned wheeled wooden horse, the pieces of paper, the feather and petals spread out on the carpet revealed the spaces as the children's playground. But the way these items lying around on the ground and neglected clearly indicate that at this moment the girls are only interested in the bubble play. The two girls seated on the carpet are wearing sleeveless Sarafans over their white dresses, which are the traditional rural Russian outfits. The cloth with red embroidery spread over the legs of the blonde girl is the typical Sarafan patten often seen in traditional Russian clothing. On one hand, the slightly grayish yellow tone and shabby clothing of the girls indicate their humble backgrounds. But on the other hand, it brings out the paleness of their skin and the rosiness of their cheeks. Furthermore, the decrepit fireplace and mantelpiece with various items depicted in black, brown, and grey tones not only portray poor country life, but also forms a powerful contrast to the innocent play of the children and adds extra focus to their pure and worry-free expressions.