The Mighty Five or The Mighty Handful (Moguchaya kuchka)

The Mighty Five or The Mighty Handful (Moguchaya kuchka). Caricature by Konstantin E Makovsky, 1871. The five composers Cui, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Borodin had refused to give a private performance of Dargomishsky 's 'Stone Gues' for Turgenev. As T had offended them with remarks about Glinka and Balakirev in his novel 'On the Eve'. From l to r: Cesar Cui, Balakirev with Baton, Stasov in national costume blowing the horn of fame and beating a drum, Victor Hartmann, architect and artist, whose exhibition of paintings inspired Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition', sitting on Stasov 's shoulder. In front: Rimsky Korsakov as a crab, with the two Purgold girls as lapdogs, Mussorgsky leading the parade as an arrogant rooster. Hardly visible head at right is Alexander Serov, as Jupiter hurling thunderbolts.