Ilya Repin - biography, information, personal life. Ilya Efimovich Repin - biography and paintings Genre and historical paintings by Ilya Repin
Repin Ilya Efimovich Repin Ilya Efimovich
(1844-1930), Russian painter. He studied in St. Petersburg at the Drawing School of the College of Arts (late 1863) with I. N. Kramskoy and at the Academy of Arts (1864-71; taught in 1894-1907, rector in 1898-99). Pensioner of the Academy of Arts in Italy and France (1873-76). Member of the TPHV (since 1878; cm. Peredvizhniki). During his years of study, Repin's formation as an artist was greatly influenced by Kramskoy and other members of the Artel of Artists, as well as the critic V.V. Stasov. Having become acquainted with the aesthetics of revolutionary democrats, he became its staunch supporter. The artist's observation and passionate temperament, the ability to use the model's pose and gesture for its figurative and emotional characterization were clearly evident in Repin's early works (portraits of R. D. Khloboshchin, 1868, and V. A. Shevtsova, 1869, both in the State Russian Museum; " The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter", 1871, Russian Museum). Since the beginning of the 70s. Repin acted as a democratic artist, fighting against academic art that was far from life. In 1870-73, after trips to the Volga and long work on sketches, Repin in the film “Barge Haulers on the Volga” (Russian Museum) came to a deep and vivid interpretation of the life of barge haulers; denouncing the exploitation of the people, he simultaneously affirmed the hidden strength and ripening protest within them. The genre picture, each of the heroes of which is endowed with an individual characteristic, acquired a monumental character, becoming a generalized image of modern life, not only revealing the contradictions of reality, but establishing the people as a positive force in society. The plastic power and breadth of painting were innovative at that time. In 1873-76 in Italy and France, Repin became acquainted with the art of Western Europe; an important step in mastering plein air painting ( cm. Plein air) were landscapes of this period ("Road to Montmartre in Paris", 1876, Tretyakov Gallery). Upon returning from abroad, in Chuguev, Repin created portraits distinguished by the exceptional power of typification ("The Man with the Evil Eye", Tretyakov Gallery, "The Timid Peasant", Gorky Art Museum, "Protodeacon", Tretyakov Gallery - all 1877). In the late 70s - early 80s. Repin, first in Chuguev and then in Moscow, enthusiastically worked on the peasant theme ("Seeing off a recruit", 1879, Russian Russian Museum), revealing in some works the social contradictions in the life of the Russian village ("In the volost government", 1877, Russian Russian Museum). These works prepared Repin to create the canvas “Religious Procession in the Kursk Province” (1880-83, Tretyakov Gallery), in which he was able to show the diversity of life in post-reform Russia and the complexity of the social relations existing in it. This work became a whole poem about the poverty and downtroddenness of the people, about arrogant bars and other “owners” of the village; it castigated the abominations of the existing system and glorified the people, oppressed and deceived, but great and powerful. In the strictly thought-out composition of the picture, in its pictorial structure, Repin’s high skill was revealed, conveying the light-air environment, bright sunlight, and achieving extraordinary vitality of the scene. In the 80s Repin worked a lot on the theme of the revolutionary movement. Sympathizing with the revolutionaries, seeing in them heroes of the struggle for the people's happiness, he created a whole gallery of images, vividly reflecting both the strength and weakness of the common revolutionary-democratic movement ("Refusal of Confession", 1879-85, "Arrest of the Propagandist", 1880-92, “We didn’t expect”, 1884-88, - all in the Tretyakov Gallery). The central work of the cycle, “They Didn’t Expect,” depicts the scene of an exile returning home. Repin showed the complex range of experiences of family members meeting a father, son, husband. The compositional structure of the picture is determined by the psychological relationships of the characters; the picture is filled with air and light, to convey which Repin used pure and light colors that made up a single color scheme. By depicting the heroic and sublime in the lives of ordinary people, Repin gave the everyday genre the high importance that only historical painting had previously had.
Repin created a large portrait gallery of his contemporaries, which demonstrated his ability to reveal personality both psychologically and socially: portraits of V.V. Stasov (1873), A.F. Pisemsky (1880); M. P. Mussorgsky (1881), P. A. Strepetova (1882), A. I. Delvig (1882), L. N. Tolstoy (1887) - all in the Tretyakov Gallery. He also achieved high skill in graphics; his pencil freely conveyed nature in all its beauty and diversity (drawing “Girl of Hell”, 1882, Tretyakov Gallery, “Nevsky Prospekt”, 1887, State Russian Museum). In the 80-90s. he worked a lot on illustrations.
Repin also worked in the field of historical painting. His interest in the past was determined by the questions raised by modern times. Repin was attracted by the psychological and dramatic tasks of depicting strong characters whose destinies are connected with significant historical changes ("Princess Sophia", 1879, Tretyakov Gallery). The painting “Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan” (1885, Tretyakov Gallery), striking with the strength of the passions conveyed in it and the expression of their expression, sounded like an denunciation of despotism. Repin's last significant historical work was the painting "The Cossacks Write a Letter to the Turkish Sultan" (1878-91, Russian Russian Museum), the main character of which was the freedom-loving people. In the 90s Repin, experiencing a well-known creative crisis, temporarily broke with the Wanderers. His articles and letters contain thoughts that allowed his contemporaries to consider Repin an apostate from the ideas of democratic aesthetics, but by the end of the 90s. Repin returned to his previous position. In the later period, with some successes, Repin no longer created paintings equal to the works of the 70-80s. The best works of the 1890-1900s. - these are graphic portraits, the models of which are usually people with a pronounced creative, artistic beginning ("E. Duse", charcoal, 1891, Tretyakov Gallery), as well as portraits-studies for the monumental group portrait "Solemn meeting of the State Council" (performed together with artists B. M. Kustodiev and I. S. Kulikov, 1901-03, Russian Russian Museum). Deeply folk, closely connected with the progressive ideas of his era, Repin's work is one of the pinnacles of Russian democratic art. Repin's students - I. I. Brodsky, I. E. Grabar, D. N. Kardovsky, Kustodiev and many others. After 1917, Repin, who lived in the Penaty estate in Kuokkala (since 1899), ended up abroad (Kuokkala, now Repin, belonged to Finland until 1940), but did not break ties with his homeland, dreaming of returning to the USSR. "Penates", where he died and was buried, since 1940 the Repin Memorial Museum has also been located in Chuguev.
"We didn't expect it." 1884 - 1888. Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow.
Essays: Distant Close, 6th ed., (M.), 1961.
(Source: “Popular Art Encyclopedia.” Edited by V.M. Polevoy; M.: Publishing House “Soviet Encyclopedia”, 1986.)
See what “Repin Ilya Efimovich” is in other dictionaries:
Famous artist, painter of historical and everyday scenes and portraits; born July 24, 1844. He began studying painting in his 13th year in Chuguev, with P. Bunakov; in 1863 he entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg and soon had great success,... ... Large biographical encyclopedia
- (1844 1930), Russian. artist. He repeatedly turned to the work of L. In 1868, as a student of the Academy of Arts, he created an illustration. to “Song about... the merchant Kalashnikov” “Kiribeevich pursuing Alena Dmitrievna” (watercolor, pencil; collection of M. Monson, Stockholm; see in the book: And ... Lermontov Encyclopedia
Russian painter. Born into the family of a military settler. Studied in St. Petersburg at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Repin Ilya Efimovich- (18441930), painter. He studied at the Drawing School of the College of Arts (186364) and at the Academy of Arts (186471; academician since 1876, full member since 1893) with I. N. Kramskoy; pensioner of the Academy of Arts in Italy and France (187376). He taught at the Academy of Arts (18941907,... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"
Repin (Ilya Efimovich) famous artist, painter of historical and everyday scenes and portraits; born July 24, 1844. He began studying painting in his 13th year in Chuguev with I. Bunakov; in 1863 he entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg and soon... ... Biographical Dictionary
- (1844 1930) Russian painter, wanderer. He revealed the contradictions of reality (Religious procession in the Kursk province, 1880-83), worked on the theme of the revolutionary movement (Arrest of a propagandist, 1880-92; They Didn’t Expect, 1884-88). In historical... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (1844 1930), painter. He studied at the Drawing School of the College of Arts (1863-64) and at the Academy of Arts (1864-71; academician since 1876, full member since 1893) with I. N. Kramskoy; pensioner of the Academy of Arts in Italy and France (1873 76). He taught at the Academy of Arts (1894-1907, rector in 1898-99). Member... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)
According to a brief biography of Repin by Ilya Efimovich, the future artist was born in 1844 in Chuguevo (Kharkov province). The artist’s father was a “ticket soldier”; his mother, Tatyana Stepanovna, came from a good family and was well educated. It is interesting that until the end of his life Repin tried to maintain connections with his “small Motherland,” and Ukrainian motifs often appeared in his works.
Repin discovered a passion for painting early, and in 1855 he was sent to a typography school, but in 1857 the school was closed, and Repin went as a student to an icon-painting workshop. He quickly became the best and at the age of 16 began working independently, joining an artel that was engaged in the construction and restoration of churches. In 1863, Repin decided to go to St. Petersburg and enter the Academy of Arts. I didn’t enroll immediately, but after a course at an evening art school. But from 1863 he became a student of the Academy (until 1871), and not the last student. I. Kramskoy and V. Polenov brought him closer to them. Over the course of 8 years, he managed to receive several awards, including a large gold medal from the Academy.
First big success
In 1870, Repin began work on his first large painting, “Barge Haulers on the Volga.” This work created a sensation in the international art community.
Trip abroad and life in Moscow
From 1873 to 1876, Repin lived abroad, traveled all over Spain, Italy and settled in France, in Paris, where he met local impressionists, especially falling in love with Manet. It was in Paris that he painted the painting “Sadko,” for which he received the title of academician and because of which he received a barrage of criticism.
From 1877 to 1882, the artist lived in Moscow and was an active member of the Association of Itinerants. It was at this time that he painted the painting “Princess Sophia” and began working with his most outstanding student V. Serov. At the same time, the artist painted a portrait of M. Mussorgsky, who died literally a few days later. This work delighted critics.
Life in St. Petersburg
From 1883 to 1900 the artist lived in St. Petersburg. Here he writes his most outstanding works: “Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan”, “They Didn’t Expect”, “Cossacks...”, “Anniversary Meeting of the State Council” (commissioned by Alexander III). For some time, having fallen under the influence of A. Benois and S. Dyagelev, Repin became a member of the “World of Art”. Since 1894 he has been teaching at the Academy of Arts. With his students he illustrates many works, for example, N. Leskova, N. Nekrasov.
Family
The artist's first wife was his friend's sister Vera Shevtsova. The marriage was not successful, and after 15 years the couple divorced, “dividing” the children: the father took the older ones, and the younger ones remained with the mother. Repin loved children very much and often painted family portraits.
The artist’s second wife was Natalya Nordman, with whom he began to live in Penate (Kuokkala), Finland. The marriage was successful, although Nordman was known as an “eccentric.” K. Chukovsky spoke especially unflatteringly about her (the writer was a great friend of the artist and even advised him not to move to the USSR in 1925).
Widowed in 1914, Repin never remarried.
The artist died in 1930 in Penaty. He was buried there. Until the end of his life, he maintained clarity of mind and tried to work.
Other biography options
- It is interesting that for the painting “Princess Sophia” the artist’s wife Vera sewed a dress with her own hands, focusing on the outfits brought from the Armory.
- The artist took on the task of painting a portrait of I. Turgenev twice (at the request of a friend, gallerist P. Tretyakov) and was unsuccessful both times. Until the end of his life, he believed that the portrait of a writer was his worst work.
- The artist had a strong friendship with the writer L. Tolstoy. He painted about 10 portraits and paintings with his participation. The most famous is “Leo Tolstoy on the Field”.
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And Lya Repin became interested in drawing in early childhood; he studied to be a topographer and was an apprentice to icon painters. Repin entered the Academy of Arts only the second time, but then returned there to teach. And famous St. Petersburg aristocrats and even Emperor Alexander III ordered his paintings.
Topographer, icon painter, student at the Academy of Arts
Ilya Repin was born in 1844 in Chuguev, near Kharkov. His father, Efim Repin, together with his eldest son, drove herds of horses for sale. Mother, Tatyana Bocharova, raised her own children and organized a small school where peasants and their children learned penmanship, arithmetic and the Law of God.
The future artist began drawing early. His cousin Trofim Chaplygin brought paints to the Repins’ house, and since then the boy has not parted with watercolors.
“I had never seen paints before and was looking forward to Trofim painting with paints. The first picture - a watermelon - suddenly turned into a living one before our eyes. But there was a miracle when Trofim painted the cut half of the second watermelon with red paint so vividly and juicily that we even wanted to eat the watermelon; and when the red paint had dried, with a thin brush he made black seeds here and there across the red pulp - a miracle! miracle!"
Ilya Repin
When Ilya Repin was 11 years old, he was sent to topography school - this specialty was in demand in Chuguev. But the boy studied there for only two years, then the school was closed. He got a job as an apprentice in an icon-painting workshop with a representative of the artistic dynasty, master Ivan Bunakov. Repin recalled about him: “My teacher, Ivan Mikhailovich Bunakov, was an excellent portrait painter, he was a very talented painter”.
The talent of the young student was quickly noticed: at the age of 16, Repin had already left to work with a nomadic artel of icon painters. A few years later, the young artist decided to go to St. Petersburg to study painting. He collected all the money he earned and left to enter the Academy of Arts.
Repin failed the first entrance examination to the Academy of Arts. However, he did not return to his hometown. The aspiring artist became a student at a preparatory evening school, and later came back for tests at the Academy. And he did. During his eight years of study, he met many representatives of the creative elite of the Northern capital: Repin communicated closely with the artists Ivan Kramskoy, whom he called his teacher in his memoirs, and Vasily Polenov, as well as the critic Vasily Stasov.
Genre and historical paintings by Ilya Repin
However, the young painter lived in poverty. He earned money by selling his paintings. One of the genre paintings - in it Repin depicted a student watching a girl through the window - was bought for a fairly large sum. The artist recalled: “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such happiness in my entire life!” In addition to genre paintings, Repin also created portraits. In 1869 he wrote to Vera Shevtsova, who three years later became his wife.
Ilya Repin. Resurrection of Jairus' daughter. 1871. State Russian Museum
Ilya Repin. Slavic composers. 1872. Moscow State Conservatory
Ilya Repin. Barge haulers on the Volga. 1872-1873. State Russian Museum
For his diploma work - a painting based on the biblical motif "The Resurrection of Jairus's Daughter" - Repin received a Big Gold Medal and the opportunity to travel to Europe to study Western European art.
By the time Repin graduated from the Academy, he was already a fairly famous artist and received his first major order. Alexander Porokhovshchikov, the owner of the Slavic Bazaar hotel, invited him to write “A Collection of Russian, Polish and Czech Composers” to decorate the restaurant. The amount of the fee - 1,500 rubles - seemed huge to Repin at that time. Vasily Stasov helped the artist in his work: he collected archival materials necessary for the work. The public liked the picture. But Ivan Turgenev was dissatisfied with her. In a letter to Stasov, he sarcastically called the painting “a vinaigrette of the living and the dead.” In 1873, Ilya Repin completed the canvas “Barge Haulers on the Volga,” which he worked on for several years.
Soon the artist went on a retirement trip from the Academy. In a letter to Stasov, he complained: “There are a lot of galleries, but... I don’t have the patience to get to the good stuff”.
Returning to Russia, Repin collected his “large stock of artistic goods,” moved from Chuguev to Moscow and joined the Association of Itinerants. In Moscow, Repin met Leo Tolstoy, completed the painting “Religious Procession in the Kursk Province,” painted (on the second attempt) a portrait of Turgenev and prepared an unknown young man named Valentin Serov for admission to the Academy of Arts. However, the artist soon got tired of Moscow, and he decided to move to St. Petersburg again.
During this time, the artist painted several works that became classics of Russian art. Once he attended a concert by Rimsky-Korsakov and was inspired by the desire “to depict in painting something similar in power to his music.” In 1885, at the exhibition of the Wanderers, the artist presented the textbook painting “Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son.” During the same period, he painted the canvas “They Didn’t Expect”, portraits of Leo Tolstoy and Pavel Tretyakov.
Ilya Repin. They didn't wait. 1884-1887. State Tretyakov Gallery
Ilya Repin. The Cossacks write a letter to the Turkish Sultan. 1880-1891. State Russian Museum
Ilya Repin. Ivan the Terrible kills his son. 1885. State Tretyakov Gallery
In 1892, the Academy of Arts hosted an exhibition of Ilya Repin and Ivan Shishkin. Her guests saw the painting “Cossacks writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan” - Repin worked on it for 11 years. The canvas was purchased by Emperor Alexander III - the price of 35 thousand rubles turned out to be high even for Pavel Tretyakov.
In 1894, Repin returned to the Academy of Arts - this time as a teacher. He taught there for 13 years - until 1907.
Kuokkalla - native "Penates"
While Ilya Repin worked at the Academy of Arts, he managed to visit Italy again, fulfill several large-scale orders from the emperor (including the “Anniversary Meeting of the State Council”) and marry the writer Natalya Nordman for the second time. The romance developed rapidly: they met at the beginning of 1900, and that same fall Repin moved to Nordman’s estate near St. Petersburg in the village of Kuokkala. Korney Chukovsky recalled the order in the Repins’ house: the artist’s wife was a vegetarian, opposed wearing fur, and wore a thin coat in any frost. Repin himself became a vegetarian. Signs were hung around their house: “Don’t wait for servants - there aren’t any”, "Servants are a disgrace to humanity". However, despite these extravagant rules, poets, writers and artists visited the house of Repin and Nordman. Repin met them on Wednesdays. The table was prepared for the guests, and the spouses looked after them themselves.
Ilya Efimovich Repin(1844-1930) - Russian artist, painter, master of portraits, historical and everyday scenes. Memoirist, author of a number of essays that made up the book of memoirs “Distant Close”. Teacher, was a professor - head of the workshop (1894-1907) and rector (1898-1899) of the Academy of Arts, at the same time teaching at Tenisheva’s school-workshop; among his students were B. M. Kustodiev, I. E. Grabar, I. S. Kulikov, F. A. Malyavin, A. P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva, and also gave private lessons to V. A. Serov.
In 1863 he entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. At the Drawing School at the Exchange, Repin met I. N. Kramskoy, who became his mentor. He also studied with R.K. Zhukovsky. He studied successfully, and in 1869 he was awarded a small gold medal for the painting “Job and His Friends.”
Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg
"Job and His Friends" 1869
During his trip along the Volga in 1870, he wrote a number of studies and sketches; Based on some of them, he painted the painting “Barge Haulers on the Volga” for Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, completed in 1873. This painting, depicting the hard work of barge haulers pulling a barge, made a strong impression on the public and critics.
"Barge Haulers on the Volga" 1873
In 1872, for his programmatic work “The Resurrection of Jairus’s Daughter” he received a Grand Gold Medal and the right to 6 years of study in Italy and France, where he completed his art education.
"Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter"
Since 1873, Repin has been traveling abroad as a pensioner of the Academy, where the luminaries of ancient painting made a negative impression on him. In Paris he writes “The Parisian Cafe” and the fabulous “Sadko”
"Parisian cafe"
Sadko is a Russian epic hero. preserving mythological features. According to the hypothesis of supporters of the historical school, the image of SADKO goes back to the chronicle Novgorod merchant Sotko Sytinich.
Returns to Russia in the summer of 1876. In the autumn of the same year, the artist returned to his native Chuguev, and a year later he moved from there to Moscow. In 1878, while visiting Abramtsevo, Repin heard a story from a Ukrainian historian about how the Turkish Sultan wrote to the Zaporozhye Cossacks and demanded their submission. The Cossacks' response was bold, impudent, and full of mockery of the Sultan. Repin was delighted with this message and immediately made a pencil sketch. After that, he constantly returned to this topic, working on the painting for more than ten years. It was completed only in 1891.
“The Cossacks write a letter to the Turkish Sultan”
In 1882 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he became an active member of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions, which he joined in 1874, becoming one of the leaders of the realistic school of painting. His paintings appear at the exhibitions of the partnership: “Ruler Sofya Alekseevna in the Monastery” (1879), “Religious Procession in the Kursk Province” (1883), “They Didn’t Expect” (1884), “Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan” (1885).
“Ruler Sofya Alekseevna in the monastery” (1879)
“Religious procession in the Kursk province” (1883)
"We Didn't Expect" (1884)
"Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan" (1885)
In 1887 Repin divorced his wife. That same year he left the Association of Art Traveling Exhibitions. He didn’t like that the Peredvizhniki closed in on themselves and did not accept new members, especially young ones.
During the same period, the following paintings were created: “Duel”, “Poprishchin” (1882), portraits of Franz Liszt and Mikhail Glinka (1887), as well as portraits of P. A. Strepetova, N. I. Pirogov, P. M. Tretyakov, I N. Kramskoy, I. S. Turgenev, V. M. Garshin, V. V. Samoilov, M. S. Shchepkin, Baroness Ikskul and many others.
“Portrait of Leo Tolstoy”
"Afanasy Fet"
“Portrait of D. I. Mendeleev”
"Dragonfly. Portrait of Vera Repina, the artist’s daughter"
“Portrait of the composer Anton Grigorievich Rubinstein”
In 1901, the artist received a government order: to paint a ceremonial meeting of the State Council on the day of the centenary. The grandiose multi-figure canvas (35 sq. m.) “The ceremonial meeting of the State Council on May 7, 1901” (1901-1903, State Russian Museum), performed by B. M. Kustodiev and I. S. Kulikov, was written over the course of two years . The ceremonial portrait depicts more than eighty people - dignitaries of the State Council, led by the Tsar and members of the reigning house. Repin wrote fifty sketches and portraits for the painting.
Due to overwork, Repin began to hurt, and then his right hand stopped working, but he learned to write with his left hand.
Ceremonial meeting of the State Council on May 7, 1901" 
In 1899 Repin married Natalya Nordman and moved to live with her at the Penaty estate in the village of Kuokkala in Finland. There he spent the last thirty years of his life. After the October Revolution, the village of Kuokkala found itself abroad, as part of independent Finland.
The artist died on September 29, 1930 in Kuokkala, where he was buried in his favorite garden next to his house.
Political Views
Repin He had a negative attitude towards Nicholas II, called him a “vile barbarian”, “a high-minded man”, and dreamed “that this “abomination” would collapse.” However, after the revolution, in 1918, he painted the painting “Cattle of Imperialism”, a kind of continuation of the theme of barge haulers, where they look dirty, stupid and ugly. Repin himself said about this picture: “Cattle” is a deeply depraved creature: constantly in contact with the police, he learns their ability to be predatory like a wolf, toady, but quickly come to reprisals against their masters if they weaken...” Attempts of the Soviet government to return Repin failed in the USSR; in private letters he claimed that while the Bolsheviks were in power, he did not want to have anything in common with Russia. In recent years, Repin has created a number of paintings on religious themes.
The name of the great artist Ilya Repin is familiar to almost everyone. Many museums, streets and galleries are named in his honor. It deserves special attention. It most clearly and vividly describes the most important events in the life of the great master.
Childhood and youth
Repin Ilya Efimovich was born on August 5, 1844 on the territory of modern Ukraine. The future artist was born in the small town of Chuguev in the Kharkov region. Ilya Repin's father was a military settler.
The boy began to get involved in art early. Already at the age of thirteen he took up painting. Repin's mentor was the icon painter and portrait painter Ivan Mikhailovich Bunakov, who also lived in Chuguev. As the artist himself later admitted, the teacher had a tremendous influence on the formation of his style. Repin repeatedly called Bunakov the best of the Chuguev masters. Ilya Efimovich is even credited with the following words: “Ivan Mikhailovich was a truly incredible artist and occupied a place on a par with Holbein.”
From the very beginning of his creative activity, Repin received good reviews about his work. His paintings are very popular in his home district. Wanting to develop further, the young painter makes an important decision in life to try his luck in St. Petersburg. It is in this glorious city on the Neva that Repin’s short biography continues.
Study and recognition
In 1863, luck smiled on the talented artist, and Ilya Efimovich entered the Academy of Arts. There, the master shows remarkable creative abilities, which earns him the respect of his colleagues and mentors. Among Repin's famous teachers was Rudolf Kazimirovich Zhukovsky.
Just six years later, the young artist receives his first award, which is what Repin’s short biography is about. It was Malaya for the painting “Job and His Friends” he painted.
Searches in creativity
Since 1870, Repin has been traveling by steamship down the Volga River. The artist uses the time allotted for this journey to his advantage for creativity. During the trip, the master’s piggy bank is replenished with numerous sketches and sketches. Later, some of them formed the basis of one of the most important paintings in the master’s work - “Barge Haulers on the Volga”. This canvas was painted over three whole years and was of great importance for the cultural and political life of that time. It is worth noting that its creation was carried out to order from Prince V. Alexandrovich himself. However, this picture aroused genuine emotions not only for him. Critics responded well to the work done. After all, the picture simply amazes with its genuine sincerity, careful technical elaboration of the smallest details and labor-intensive depiction of all the characters.
Soon Repin will receive the next important award for him. In 1870, the artist was awarded the Great Gold Medal. This time the critics' choice fell on a large canvas called "The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter." This work became significant for the master, because, in addition to recognition in his homeland, he got the opportunity to try his hand at studying and creativity in the vastness of Europe. Sunny Italy and France were already waiting for him, where Repin went. The artist continues to improve his skills.
Cultural heritage
One of the most striking works in Repin’s work was the painting “Cossacks writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan.” The master made his first sketches in 1878. Ilya Efimovich worked on the canvas for ten long years.
It is worth noting that, in addition to creative activities, Repin was also successfully engaged in teaching. So, since 1893 he took an honorable place at the Academy of Arts. Later the master ran the workshop. The pinnacle of his teaching career was the position of rector of the Academy.
Interestingly, the artist was married twice. With his second legal wife, the master lived in his own estate in Finland until the end of his life.
This is where the short biography of Repin ends, but everyone can find something new for themselves in his work.
