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"I love art more than virtue, more than people, more than people, more than family, more than friends, more than any kind of happiness or joy in life. I love it secretly, jealously, like an old drunkard - incurably."
- Ilya Repin
This insane craving for art had shaped the world of Ilya Repin, one of the most remarkable Russian portrait artists of all times. The spirit of Russian Realism was best captured and enmeshed in his iconic works mostly dealing with naturalistic representations of the heroic Russian life in the Tsarist regime of late nineteenth century. During this time, Russia was on the verge of stepping on to the global scenario with social, political, and economic uprising in the wake. Repin was to undergo such transitive faces of changes. So, who was Ilya Repin and why was he called the ethical painter of Russia? If you are fishing for the answers, you have to follow us closely in this blog’s journey.
Who Ilya Repin Was and Why His Art Matters
Ilya Yefimovich Repin (1844-1930) was born to a peasant family in present-day Ukraine and grew as a skilled artist showing works of amazing skill as he worked as an apprentice under an ace painter. His works echoed much compassion and sensitivity towards human suffering which were reflected in his depiction of historical and political portraits. As he represented a humble class from which he rose to prominence, Repin always tried to return his indebtedness in the form of humane art making social commentaries in subtle ways, often hinting on the Tsarist oppression in Russia. This blog tries to follow his quest for art and the legacy that was often misinterpreted by the avid followers of Socialist Realism in Russia back then.
In spite of an air of misconception about his intentions behind art, Repin turned out to be greatly acknowledged for his realistic art and portrait painting by the state institutions. Let’s explore some of his masterpieces and the prolific connection he had with one of the greatest Russian luminaries like Leo Tolstoy. Almost like a Herculean presence, his acclaimed works survived the test of time, and surpassed the boundaries of all narrowly defined contexts and prejudices.
The Milestones Created by Ilya Repin: The Soul of Russia
So, how did Ilya Repin blend the heart and soul of Russia in his artworks?
Ilya Repin was considered as an avid follower of critical realism in 19th century Russian art under the Soviet regime and he was called the ‘ethical painter’ for his sensitive and humane approach to art. During his artistic career, he was exposed to various ground-breaking art movements, internalized the changing vibes in art and ideology, implementing various art ethics in his works. He was stirred by both European and Russian artistic influences and witnessed many epoch-making moments in Russian art history. His inclination towards radical ideals had involved him in many expositions like the first ‘Exhibition of Sketches and Artistic Experiments.’ He established the first-of-its-kind Free Arts Studio in St. Petersburg.
Repin, the Riot of the Fourteen, and the Wanderers Art Movement
The notorious ‘Riot of Fourteen’ (1863) happened during the 100th anniversary competition of the Imperial Academy of Arts where fourteen students of the academy revolted against the academy’s puritan attitude towards the choice of subjects for the competition. Instead of opting for the neo-classical and mythological themes, the students insisted on relevant subjects and realistic ones and demanded that art should be accessible for the masses. The waves of revolt spurred the Wanderers Art Movement led by realist artist Ivan Kramskoi, renowned realist artist and Repin’s mentor. The greatest portrait painter of Russia, Repin was to witness all these pivotal moments during his stay in St. Petersburg.
Later, with an Academy scholarship Repin went to Italy and France to study the Impressionist works and exhibitions. As advised by his mentor, Kramskoi, to study the glorious French past, Repin was greatly moved by the contemporary art movements and the struggling French Impressionists that reminded him of the Wanderers back in his homeland Russia. This tour to Europe was to leave its significant mark on his later works
The Universal Appeal of Repin’s Portrait Painting:
Repin’s works were much acclaimed in Europe even though his themes were largely dominated by Russian cultural icons, heroic life, and personalities, with a tinge of pathos and melancholy. This was quite new to realist portrait art. Though he worked within the periphery of realism art, his portraits transcend the realm of heroism, to gather much insight and emotional depth for his creations. In that sense, his works outlived the confines of time and became ‘free from history.’ He tried to address the issues of inherent human suffering and situations that are not confined to any country or state, but appeal to the world at large.
Ilya Repin: His Master Creations in Realistic Art
Barge Haulers on the Volga (1870-73)
Repin’s keen interest in life and human emotions made him a passionate artist, onlooker and a chronicler investing in a wide variety of themes and images. Critics took his art seriously from his very first creation and his iconic portrayals of ‘Barge Haulers on the Volga,’ or ‘They Did Not Expect Him,’ etc. not only made great realist chronicles but matters of discussion and analysis.
His ‘Barge Haulers on the Volga (1870-73)’ made an undeniable mark balancing the working-class consciousness and glorifying the dignity of labour, through mastery of lines and confident strokes. Repin used to visit the haulers frequently to have an accurate depiction of the Volga scenery and drew the exhausted figures trying to pull the barge upstream on the river with utmost accuracy. His depiction was precise, full with naturalistic details. Here, in the Volga haulers, he painted the faces with distinctive ethnic identities and appearances.
They Did Not Expect Him (1884-88)
After the 1880s, Repin’s works mostly focused on the themes of revolt and repentance that is quite evident in his works ‘Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan’ and ‘They Did Not Expect Him.’
In ‘They Did Not Expect Him’ the composition mostly centers on tension and anonymity of an encounter that is not obvious, nor the least expected. It is a portrayal of an awkward moment where the familial air of a Russian household is stirred by a sudden arrival of a guest, or intruder, triggering all sorts of uneasy gestures and expressions. As if, it is the beginning of a kind of tragedy, with a mysterious encounter of a returning revolutionary, maybe from a long exile. The figures retain the tension and unexpected gazes to the fullest, heightening the political drama that Repin wanted to introduce as a theme of personal repentance. The confident stride of the returning man is faced with the confused ambiance of a seemingly peaceful household that made the portrayal so authentic. He painted everything with the realistic details, texture, color, and design, holding the warmth of the room and the drama unfolding within.
Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581 (1883-85)
The assassination of Tsar Alexander II and the concert ‘Sweetness of Revenge’ left a permanent mark on Repin during the 1880s. He wanted to draw references from the blood-stained history of Russia, just to convey his message of irreverence and rejection of all kinds of violence. Through the painting of a father son duo, Ivan the Terrible and Ivan, he tries to paint a deep-seated gloom and horror that disturb the spectator or the viewers at once. The stark darkness of the interior, the crumpled red carpet at Ivan’s feet, the black robe and a bleak look of the father, the spear lying on the floor – all of them evoke a sense of psychic energy which dominates the horror scene. The way old Ivan tries to hold his son’s body with all his might trying to resist the flow of blood from the wound, takes the viewers by awe and sympathy. Repin has produced a hanging gloom and shock with the chilling stare of the wounded Ivan, succumbing lifeless in his father’s embrace. The visible and anatomic details of the father’s face, his tensed muscles and veins raised from a gush of adrenaline enhance the drama and the grief manifold.
"What is expressed and emphatically accentuated is the incidental character of the murder! This most phenomenal aspect, an extremely difficult one to project, is achieved by means of only two figures. But how it is painted, God, how it is painted! Indeed, can you imagine a pool of blood not being noticed, not affecting you because of the frightful, highly expressive grief of the father, and his loud shriek?”
- Kramskoi
Leo Tolstoy in the Forest (1891)
As acquaintances, Repin and Tolstoy would spend some leisure time walking in the woods. This portrait of Leo Tolstoy in a reclining posture, holding a book, shows the inherent bonding and affection that Repin had for his literary friend. Here, he has used the French Impressionist Plein Air painting technique that had inspired him during his stay in Paris during the 1870s. He masterfully creates the lightness and shadow areas, casting the mellow depth of the woods, and the sunshine, all of them working towards a great outdoor painting ambiance.
What Makes Ilya Repin Timeless and Relevant Even Today?
Ilya Repin is widely acclaimed for his socially critical and realistic artworks that are housed in various world museums. Truly, Repin remains immortal even if the historical events or the political aspects go buried in obscurity. As for Repin’s works, everything recedes back to preserve the relevance of the themes and the inherent psychological message that are handed down to generations.
His multi-layered paintings and realistic art have always enticed viewers to freely interpret and decode the inherent message on their own terms. That is how, every generation looks back in awe & reverence while they step into his universe of empathy, stirring the depths of human emotions.
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