I. E. Repin is one of the brightest representatives of Russian painting of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A talented painter, teacher, professor, full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. During his long life, he created many canvases that are part of the golden fund of Russian culture. His works are famous and highly regarded in the world art of painting. As the artist said about himself: "Art was with me always and everywhere, and never left me."
Who is Ilya Efimovich Repin
Ilya Efimovich Repin (August 5, 1844 - September 29, 1930) is a talented Russian artist. He created many pictures of the historical, everyday direction. In his works, the artist has always adhered to the realistic genre. Portraits of famous people of that era occupy a special direction in his work. Repin was engaged in illustration for the works of L. N. Tolstoy, A. S. Pushkin, N. V. Gogol, M. Yu. Lermontov and other famous Russian writers. He brought up a whole galaxy of students, such as F. A. Malyavin, N. I. Feshin, V. A. Serov. His famous paintings "Barge Haulers on the Volga",
"They did not expect", "Cossacks write a letter to the Turkish sultan",
"Religious Procession in Kursk Province", "Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son", "Beggar. Girl-Fisherman", "Seeing Off a Recruit", "Sadko", "Last Supper" are widely known all over the world.
Painting by I. E. Repin "Beggar. Girl-fisherman"
The canvas, written in 1874, is considered one of the best creations of the 30-year-old young artist. Repin at this time lived with his family in the French city of Vel. Many art critics agree that this is the first work that marked the beginning of the formation of a portrait painter.
Ilya Repin spent a lot of time at his easel in the fresh air and painted from nature. Poor French children agreed to pose for artists for a small fee to help their families. This is the story of the painting "The Beggar". Later, in letters to a friend, the artist mentions the fact that the girl posed very badly, was disgraceful, did not obey. Repin, inspired by the idea, finished the work in a short time, despite the child's behavior.
The canvas depicts a girl with a fishing net in her hands. Her short blonde hair is not well-groomed, her face, eyebrows and eyelashes are sunburned, her strong, childish hands are chapped. The dress, so old and worn, is covered in patches. All small details are clearly drawn. The colors are muted, dark. The girl's gaze is averted to the side, her eyes are sad, but at the same time alive.
The canvas is in the Regional Art Museum of the city of Irkutsk.
Painting by I. E. Repin "Sadko"
Ilya Repin, while in Paris, painted a canvas, the plot of which comes from the Russian folklore epic about the Novgorod merchant Sadko. This artistic work stands out sharply from all the work of the great painter. A fairy tale inspired him. The artist hoped for success, but "foreign" art lovers did not show interest and did not appreciate the work. Soon the painting was bought by the Grand Duke Alexander III. The future emperor acquired it for his collection. Ilya Repin was awarded the title of academician.
Sadko was famous for his playing the harp. The sea lord lured the merchant into the underwater kingdom and wanted to keep him by marrying one of his daughters. It is this moment that is captured on the artist's canvas.
The composition of the picture is a triangle. In the right corner stands the merchant Sadko in a rich sable fur coat and hat and looks up to the left at a girl dressed in a simple national Russian dress. His gaze is fixed on her. Sadko does not notice anyone but her. Beauties float around the merchant and cast their enchanting glances at him. But he does not need these aquatic mermaid princesses in colorful expensive outfits adorned with jewelry. Sadko also does not notice the magnificence of the animal and plant underwater world. Sadko's choice suggests that there is nothing better than the home world, simple earthly love, and clearly expresses longing for the homeland.
The artist used a rich color palette of paints when painting the picture. All the details of the costumes, faces are traced to the smallest detail. Only in the background the Russian girl remains in a somewhat blurred form and Sadko's gaze does not want to lose sight of her, wants to break out of the water.
Representatives of the aquatic world are superbly worked out: starfish, fantastic fish, corals, algae. Sea water has amazing colors. Here Repin used all shades of green.
The artist, in order to bring the writing of the underwater world closer to the realities, specially visited the Berlin Aquarium.
The canvas is in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. The dimensions of the painting are 323x230 cm. Oil.
I. E. Repin and his portraits
Ilya Efimovich Repin is one of the great masters of world art in portrait painting. He created a huge gallery of portraits of his contemporaries. His work in portraiture is incomparable to any of the largest artists in the world. Among the portraits of the artist are historical and state figures, generals and military ranks, counts and countesses, actresses, poets and writers, composers, scientists, relatives and people close to him. Many of the paintings are in oil, others in pencil. But each of his portraits accurately reflects time. In each portrait, the artist reveals the character of his hero, his emotions. The great Russian art critic V. V. Stasov: "With the audacity of a brave admirer, I tried in some of my portraits what no one else seems to have tried yet - to portray the creative and working, inside the head, the thought of a great man."
Among the famous portraits of I. E. Repin there are self-portraits painted in oil in 1878, 1887, 1894, 1903, 1920, 1923 and in pencil in 1879 and 1899.
In the collection of the great Russian artist, a large number of works are dedicated to fellow artists.
In 1876, Ilya Repin created a portrait of his contemporary, friend, the outstanding Russian artist I. I. Shishkin (1832-1898).
The history of painting the portrait of I. I. Shishkin by I. E. Repin
The year 1873 was the happiest in the life of Ivan Shishkin. He became a recognized and famous artist, his beloved family was nearby. He spent the summer visiting a friend, artist I. N. Kramskoy, where he painted his portrait of a serene man full of happiness. In the same year, Shishkin's father dies, then his two-year-old son. His wife's brother, artist F. A. Vasiliev, then the wife of Ivan Shishkin. A year later, his little son dies. I. Shishkin is left alone, with his little daughter in his arms. Life broke him, but did not break him, and Ivan Shishkin desperately struggles with the adversity that befell him. It was at this moment that Ilya Repin undertakes to paint a portrait of his friend in order to support him.
Repin depicts him sitting on a chair, hunched over from adversity and misfortune, with his head bowed. Heavy emotional experiences broke him badly, but did not break him. Eyes full of life and strength speak about this. There is a hope that there will still be happiness, that we must live on. In all the appearance of I. Shishkin there is the strength of the spirit of an unbroken person.
Fate treated Ivan Shishkin cruelly. Later, he again married his student, a young artist. They will have a daughter, but soon the family happiness will end again. His wife will die, leaving a little daughter in his arms. He will no longer tempt fate again. Until the end of his life, Ivan Shishkin will no longer try to create a family again. The artist will devote his whole life only to art.
This painting is very popular. Repin realistically portrayed the tragic fate of I. Shishkin. Copies of paintings, reproductions on canvas, tapestries, T-shirts sell well.
The size of the canvas is 106x88 cm. Oil.
The painting is in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
