The painting "Unequal Marriage" by Vasily Pukirev (1862) depicts a wedding scene inside a Russian Orthodox church. The painting serves as a powerful critique of 19th-century Russian society, where arranged marriages, often driven by social and economic reasons, were very common.

At the center of the painting is a young bride, visibly distressed, standing next to an older and wealthy groom. The sharp contrast between the bride's sorrowful expression and the groom's self-satisfaction highlights the emotional and social inequality between them.

The bride's hesitant posture and the groom's evident satisfaction underscore the obligation women felt to marry much older men for economic security or social advancement.

Pukirev's use of light and shadow emphasizes the bride's pale and sorrowful face, drawing the viewers' attention to her emotional state. The dimly lit church, filled with indifferent or judgmental witnesses, adds to the oppressive atmosphere, heightening the sense of social and religious complicity in these unequal marriages.

Pukirev uses this poignant scene to criticize the social norms and traditions that perpetuate inequality, particularly the limited choices and autonomy afforded to women in his time.

The painting Unequal Marriage by Vasili Pukirev is surrounded by a legend. Reportedly, following a thorough assessment, the elderly grooms all declined to wed their youthful brides. Unequal Marriage openly criticized the materialistic nature of Russian society. Actually, there was no sorcery involved, only the impactful presence of the young bride's face.