Ilya Yefimovich Repin (1844 – 1930) was a Russian realist painter. He was the most renowned Russian artist of the 19th century, when his position in the world of art was comparable to that of Leo Tolstoy in literature. He played a major role in bringing Russian art into the mainstream of European culture. His major works include "Barge Haulers on the Volga":
 |
| 1870-73 Barge Haulers on the Volga oil on canvas 131 x 281 cm Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
It depicts 11 men physically dragging a barge on the banks of the Volga River. They are at the point of collapse from exhaustion, oppressed by heavy, hot weather.The work is a condemnation of profit from inhumane labour. Although they are presented as stoical and accepting, the men are defeated; only one stands out: in the centre of both the row and canvas, a brightly coloured youth fights against his leather binds and takes on a heroic pose.
Repin conceived the painting during his travels through Russia as a young man and depicts actual characters he encountered. It drew international praise for its realistic portrayal of the hardships of working men, and launched his career. Soon after its completion, the painting was purchased by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and was exhibited widely throughout Europe as a landmark of Russian realist painting. It has been described as "perhaps the most famous painting of the Peredvizhniki movement for its unflinching portrayal of backbreaking labour."
Repin was born in Chuguye in Kharkov Governate into a family of "military settlers." His father traded horses and his grandmother ran an inn. He entered military school to study surveying. Soon after the surveying course was cancelled, his father helped him to become an apprentice with Ivan Bunakov, a local Icon painter, where he restored old icons and painted portraits of local notables through commissions. In 1863 he went to St. Petersburg Art Academy to study painting but had to enter Ivan Kramskoy preparatory school first. He met fellow artist Ivan Kramskoy (Kramskoy is also featured on this blog - see index) and the critic Vladimir Stasov during the 1860s, and his wife, Vera Shevtsova in 1872 (they remained married for ten years). In 1874–1876 he showed at the Salon in Paris and at the exhibitions of the Itinerants Society in Saint Petersburg. He was awarded the title of Academician in 1876.
In 1880 Repin travelled to Zaporizhia to gather material for the 1891 "Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks."
 |
| 1880-91c The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Turkish Sultan Mahmoud IV of the Ottoman Empire oil on canvas 203 x 358 cm The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
Repin also painted a second version somewhere between circa 1880 and 1896:
 |
| 1890-96c The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Turkish Sultan Mahmoud IV oil on canvas 174 x 265 cm Kharkov Museum of Art, Ukraine |
His "Religious Procession in Kursk Province" was exhibited in 1883:In 1892 he published the "Letters on Art" collection of essays. He taught at the Higher Art School attached to the Academy of Arts from 1894. In 1898 he purchased an estate, Penaty (the Penates), in Kuokkala, Finland (now Repino, St. Petersburg.)
 |
| 1880-83 Religious Procession in the Kursk Province oil on canvas 175 x 280 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
In 1901 he was awarded the Legion of Honour. In 1911 he travelled with his common-law wife Natalia Nordman to the World Exhibition in Italy, where his painting "Demonstration 17 October 1905" and his portraits were displayed in their own separate room.
 |
| 1905 Demonstration 17 October 1905 oil on canvas 182.9 x 127 cm The State Russian Museum, St, Petersburg |
In 1916 Repin worked on his book of reminiscences, "Far and Near" with the assistance of Korney Chukovsky. He welcomed the February Revolution of 1917, but was rather sceptical towards the October Revolution.
Soviet authorities asked him a number of times to return, but he remained in Finland for the rest of his life. Celebrations were held in 1924 in Kuokkala to mark Repin's 80th birthday, followed by an exhibition of his works in Moscow. In 1925 a jubilee exhibition of his works was held in the Russian Museum in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Repin died in 1930 and was buried at the Penates.
 |
| The Penates, the Repin House-Museum |
 |
| 1859 Portrait of A. Bocharova oil on canvas |
 |
| 1864 Preparation for the Examination oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg, Russia |
 |
| 1865 Portrait of Dr. K.F. Yanitsky oil on canvas 59 x 48 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1865 Portrait of Yanitskaya oil on canvas 59 x 49 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1866 Portrait of an Officer oil on canvas 87 x 74 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1866 Portrait of M.V. Prakhov oil on canvas 57 x 45 cm Kiev National Museum of Russian Art, Ukraine |
 |
| 1866 Portrait of Sculptor Mark Antokolski pencil 37 x 28 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1867 Diogenes and a Boy oil on cardboard The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
 |
| 1867 Portrait of a Boy oil on canvas Taganrog Museum of Fine Arts, Russia |
 |
| 1867 Portrait of Ivan Stepanovich Panov oil on canvas 58 x 49 cm |
 |
| 1867 Portrait of V. E. Repin, the Artist's brother oil on canvas Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1867 Tatyana Repina, the Artist's Mother oil on canvas 60 x 50 cm National Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic |
 |
| 1868 Portrait of Architect Filipp Khloboshchin oil on canvas 45 x 61 cm The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
 |
| 1869 Job and His Friends oil on canvas 133 x 199 cm The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
 |
| 1869 Portrait of A.I. Shevtsov oil on canvas 14 x 27 cm Kyrgyz National Fine Arts Museum, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
 |
| 1869 Portrait of Vera Shevtsova oil on canvas 83 x 67 cm |
 |
| 1870 A Barge Hauler oil on canvas 38 x 31 cm The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg |
 |
| 1870 Academic Keeper Efimov oil on canvas |
 |
| 1870 Barge Hauler oil on canvas 52 x 30 cm Tretykov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1870 Barge Haulers on the Volga oil on canvas |
 |
| 1870 Barge Haulers Pulling on the Strap sketch |
 |
| 1870 Burlak oil on canvas |
 |
| 1870 Cry of prophet Jeremiah on the Ruins of Jerusalem oil on cardboard 91 x 75 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1870 Hill on the Volga pencil 28 x 37 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1870 Italians watercolour 14 x 9 cm Kiev National Museum of Russian Art, Ukraine |
 |
| 1870 Portrait of a Man oil on canvas 24 x 16 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1870 Portrait of Painter Pavel Chistyakov graphite 28 x 20 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1870 Volga Landscape with Boats oil on canvas 25 x 37 cm Private Collection |
 |
| 1870 Raising of Jairus' Daughter oil on canvas 38 x 50 cm Poltava Regional Art Museum, Ukraine |
 |
| 1871 Raising of Jairus' Daughter ( study ) oil on canvas 52 x 89 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1871 Raising of Jairus' Daughter oil on canvas 229 x 382 cm |
 |
| 1871 Raising of Jairus' Daughter ( study ) The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia |
 |
| 1870-91 Storm on the Volga oil on canvas 55 x 102 cm The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia |
 |
| 1870s Portrait of an unknown woman etching 27 x 21 cm Vitebsk Art Museum, Belarus |
 |
| 1871 Portrait of a Kalmyk pencil Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1871 Portrait of a Russian Peasant pen and ink Private Collection |
 |
| 1871 Portrait of Sculptor I. Ginzburg oil on canvas 31 x 25 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1872 A Gathering of Russian, Polish and Czech Musicians oil on canvas 198 x 393 cm |
 |
| 1872 Barge Haulers oil on canvas 62 x 97 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
 |
| 1872 Head of a Woman pencil 29 x 37 cm Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |