The process of “muhajirism” of the mountains of the Northwest Caucasus with the eyes of artists (the second half of the XIX century)

The article examines the problem of the reflecting the process of "muhajirism" of the mountaineers of the North-Western Caucasus in the picturesque sources of the XIX century. Also, the main aspects of Russia's migration policy towards the Caucasian mountaineers. The tragic circumstances of the mountain "mukhajirism", reflected in written sources are also examined. Contemporary researchers note that although the goal of the Russian authorities was not to "exterminate and destroy peaceful auls", nevertheless, the resettlement was more like an escape, during which the mountaineers left their property for sale or for nothing. It is noted that the peculiarity of painting on the North Caucasian theme was a rather realistic character of the depiction of military historical subjects by such artists as G. Gagarin, P. Gruzinsky and others. The picture of the latter "Leaving the mountain by the aul at the approach of Russian troops" was the result of a truthful and official look of the artist, who faced the undisguised grief of entire nations. In European journals there are also placed drawings on the topic of muhajire, which are widely used in modern media. However the source for some of them, in particular, for the drawing "The Circassian tribe leaves their mountains, heading to Turkey as a result of the seizure of their country by Russian troops", from the book of B. Edej (Maikop, 2009), is assumed to be the works of Russian artists, who visited in the Caucasus.