Ilya Repin: From Raising to Resurrection

Abstract

The diversity of topics and ideas in the art of Ilya Repin (1844–1930) has long been seen as a result of the artist’s changeability, the inconsistency of his views and the suddenness of his creative talent. Therefore, it is important to show the integrity of Repin’s artistic world and to discover a certain foundation for his professional activity. This article traces the artist’s path from the early academician work “The raising of Jairus’ daughter” to one of his late paintings, “The Golgotha”. If you try to assess a vast number of Repin’s picture motifs you’ll see that over the whole course of his professional career he was working step by step on the subject of life and death, demonstrating interest in the meanings of human existence. These aspects worried the painter in connection not only with Gospel subjects but also with historical pictures and portraits.