The highest achievements of realistic painting of the 19th century are associated with the names of prominent Russian artists, among whom Ilya Repin occupies a special place. The paintings and works of this master are whole worlds, and the gallery of images is extremely diverse.
A bit of history
The heyday of art in Russia fell on the second half of the XIX century. The ways of its development largely coincided with the movement of development of literature. Fine art did not remain aloof from processes that affected public consciousness. This is the time of the formation of the trend, which was based on the ideas of critical realism. He managed to defeat the official direction, which adhered to the leadership of the Academy of Arts. For the creativity of artists, mythological and biblical themes were highlighted, justified by the idea that art is higher than life.
In 1863, some graduates of the Academy refused to create program paintings. Students proposed topics that reflect the problems of modern society, and were refused. In protest, they left the school without completing the course, and formed the St. Petersburg Artel of Artists with I. Kramsky. Later in Moscow in 1870 a partnership of the Wanderers was organized, which organized art exhibitions in different cities. One of the brightest figures among the Wanderers was Ilya Efimovich Repin. The artworks belong to the heights of the ascetic art. They reflect all the hardships of life and those turbulent changes that have touched all spheres of life, which could not but entail significant changes in art.
An outstanding draftsman, colorist and portrait painter, master of genre and historical paintings, Repin I.E. left a rich creative heritage.
Religious painting
On his sixth birthday, Ilya Repin first received watercolor paints as a gift and began to paint. At the age of 12, a talented boy was determined to study with the local painter I.M. Bunakov in Chuguev (Kharkov province). His first serious work was a copy of the icon depicting St. Alexander Nevsky. At the age of 15, Ilya, not without reason, could be attributed to independent icon-painters. He began to work together with the artel of local artisans and artists.
Church painting, individual orders for icons - this is how Ilya Repin began his creative activity. Paintings, engravings, portraits, known for their excellent sense of life, a spiritual beginning, a vivid depiction of nature with all its prejudices and elemental feelings, will be created later. The artist’s first works are religious painting, the theme of which was destined to go through all the works of I. E. Repin.
The first big work that brought fame to a fifteen-year-old boy was the Crucifixion icon, painted after K. Steiben's Golgotha. Ilya Repin became a famous master in the district.
The artist’s first watercolor, “View of the School of Military Topographers in Chuguev,” dating from 1857, has survived to this day.
In 1863, Ilya entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. The graduation work of the young artist, who was awarded the highest award - a gold medal, was the painting "The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter."
Repin repeatedly returned to religious subjects, performing icon-painting works. In 1898, in order to see live the places where Christ walked and preached, Ilya Efimovich went to the Holy Land. Here were collected materials for the painting "The Temptation of Christ", it says "Carrying the Cross."
Playwright of Russian painting
Even contemporaries of the artist admired masterfully created multi-figured genre compositions and as if “live” portraits.
One of the most remarkable phenomena in Russian fine art was his "Barge Haulers on the Volga". The painting was painted after traveling along the Volga in 1870. She made a strong impression on the public. Its author claims to be a master of a huge range. The name becomes widely known - Ilya Repin. Pictures Description
they are increasingly found in periodicals. Especially a lot of articles about the "Huts on the Volga." According to the artist V.V. Stasov, the bitter human fate, exposed as pack animals, has never appeared on canvas in this form of terrible mass, in such a piercing chord.
The highest award received at the Academy of Arts, gave Repin the right to make a trip to France. In the spring of 1873 he made a trip to Austria and Italy. In correspondence with friends Stasov, Tretyakov, Kramsky shares his admiration for the canvases of Titian, Veronese, Michelangelo, his passion for portraits of Rembrandt, Velazquez. In Paris, he paints, the most famous of which are the "Paris Cafe", "Sadko", "Negro."
The heyday of Repin's work was the period from the moment he returned to his homeland. His multi-figured genre and historical compositions, magnificent portraits appear. Ilya Repin portrayed the diverse phenomena of life, the wealth of folk types and characters with incredible power. His paintings seemed to be embodied in a kind of artistic annals of this era. This is the suffering, embittered “Man with the Evil Eye” and “extract of our deacons” - “Protodeacon”. These are the cheerful, unrestrained dances of the peasants, the national daring in the film "Vesnornitsy", and the social contrasts, deep contradictions depicted in the composition "Religious procession in the Kursk province." The artist manages to create a sense of action that seems to be happening in front of the viewer.
Ilya Repin is an artist whose paintings reflect the entire depth of perception of life. To understand the origins of a national character, the motives of various historical conflicts, the strength of psychological experiences, he turned to stories from the past. So dramatic stories were created about the stay of
Tsarevna Sofya Alekseevna in the
Novodevichy Convent, about the murder by
Ivan the Terrible of his son Ivan. It was a kind of protest against despotism. The first artist to introduce the revolutionary populists was Repin Ilya Efimovich. The paintings “Arrest of the propagandist”, “Under guard”, “Did not wait” and others reflect a clear sympathy for their heroes. A keen sense of modernity is the defining beginning in Repin's work.
Portrait painting
By the 90s, Repin had created a whole gallery of portraits. Among them are many portraits of famous scientists, writers, composers, artists. The work “Solemn meeting of the State Council” became a kind of perfection. In this composition, the artist managed to portray a considerable number of those present, many of whom were given a psychological description.
In the field of portraiture, Ilya Repin achieved great skill. His portraits of V. A. Serov, I. S. Ostroukhov, Eleanor Duse and others are distinguished by a beautiful drawing. The power of typing, free, wide writing make these studies the pinnacle of the mastery of the painter Repin.
last years of life
During his lifetime, the period of public recognition of the outstanding, versatile artist, which Ilya Repin was in fact, began. His paintings faithfully depict the various historical periods of Russia, embodying all the greatness, strength, pain and weakness of Russia.
The last years of his life, Repin lived on Finnish territory in Kuokkale on an estate he nicknamed "Penates." After the October Revolution, he refused an invitation, made at a sufficiently high official level, to return to the country. He donated his paintings to museums, did not lose touch with his friends and students I. Brodsky, K. Chukovsky, but did not return to his homeland.
The artist lived a long and rather fruitful life, opening the way to justice and good in the masterpieces he created.