The Mermaids is a large oil painting by Ivan Kramskoi, completed in 1871 and measuring 89.5 by 134 cm. The work depicts a group of naiads, mythological water spirits, gathered on the banks of a pond at night. It was painted during a period when Kramskoi was active in the Russian realist movement and exploring themes from folklore and legend. The composition features over a dozen female figures dressed in white garments, seated or standing along the water’s edge and in the surrounding reeds.

The scene is set at dusk or nighttime, with moonlight illuminating the figures and casting deep shadows across the landscape. The background includes a rustic cottage on a hillside, partially obscured by trees, while the foreground is dominated by water lilies and dense vegetation. The use of subdued, cool colors and careful attention to light and shadow contribute to the painting’s atmospheric quality. The Mermaids is held in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, where it is catalogued under inventory number 647.

The painting is recognized as a significant example of Russian mythological painting from the late 19th century and has been widely exhibited and reproduced. Its subject matter draws on Slavic folklore, reflecting the period’s interest in national themes and the supernatural.