Ilya Repin at Artprice. To look at auction records, find Repin's works in upcoming auctions, check price levels and indexes for his works, read his biography and view his signature, access the Artprice database.
Notes
Andreev, Leonid (1871-1919) Russian writer
and artist, born in Orel. Suffered much from poverty and ill-health as
a student. Many of his works have been translated into English, such as
The
Red Laugh (1905), The Seven that were Hanged (1909), etc.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Author
Leonid Andreev.
Valentin Serov. Portrait
of the Writer Leonid Andreev.
Andreyeva (stage name of Yurkovskaya) Maria
Fedorovna (1868- 1953), Russian actress, on the stage from 1886, and
state figure. Between 1918 and 1921, she was Commissar of Theaters and
Public Shows in Petrograd. Between 1931 and 1948 she was Director of the
House of Scientists in Moscow. Common-law wife of well-known writer Maxim
Gorky.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Maria Andreeva.
Delvig, Andrey Ivanovich (1813-87), engineer,
Lieutenant General of the engineer corps (1868). The water systems of Moscow
and other cities, as well as numerous railroads were built under his guidance.
One of the founders and the first Chairman (1866-70) of the Russian Technical
Society; became senator in 1871. Author of memoirs about Alexander
Pushkin, A. Delvig, N. Gogol, Alexander
Herzen and other famous Russians.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Military
Engineer Andrey Delvig.
Fet, Afanasy Afanasyevich (1820-92), Russian
lyrical poet, correspondent member of St. Petersburg Academy of Science
(1886). Many of his verses were put to music.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Poet
Afanasy Fet.
Glazunov, Aleksandr Konstantinovich (1865-1936)
Russian composer, born in St. Petersburg. He studied under Rimsky-Korsakov,
and was a professor (after 1899) and director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory
(1905-1927). The Soviet government gave him the title of People’s Artist
of the Republic, but he emigrated in 1928. Died in Paris in 1936. Among
his compositions there are 8 symphonies, the ballets Raimonda (1897)
and
Seasons of the Year (1899) and works of every other genre except
opera.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Composer
Alexander Glazunov.
Valentin Serov. Portrait of
the Composer Alexander Glazunov.
Glinka, Mikhail Ivanovich (1804-57), Russian
composer, began his career as a civil servant, but a visit to Italy made
him eager to study music, which he did in Berlin. On his return to Russia
he produced his famous opera A Life for the Tzar (also staged as
Ivan
Susanin) (1836). His Ruslan and Ludmilla (1842), based on the
poem by Alexander Pushkin,
pioneered the style of the Russian national school of composers.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Composer
Mikhail Glinka.
Gorky, Maxim, pen-name of Alexey Maximovich
Peshkov (1868-1936) Russian novelist, born in Nizhni Novgorod. He was successively
peddler, scullery boy, gardener, dock hand, tramp, and writer; he described
his restless nomadic life in his autobiographical trilogy Childhood
(1913-14), In the World (1915-16) and My Universities (1923).
He first made his name with the story Chelkash (1895), followed
by others in a romantic vein; the main characters of his stories were tramps
and down-and-outs. Foma Gordeev (1890) marks his transition from
romanticism to realism. In 1902, he writes his best play The Lower Depths.
Participated in the revolutionary movement against tsarist regime in Russia,
and was imprisoned in 1905; after that he had to leave Russia and until
1914 lived abroad. From 1922 to 1928 he lived abroad again on account of
his health, but then he returned and supported the Soviet regime. It is
unclear whether he did it whole-heartedly or out of fear of Stalinist repression.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Maxim Gorky.
Valentin Serov. Portrait
of the Writer Maxim Gorky.
Ivan IV The Terrible (Ioann, Joan) (1530-84)
Great Duke of Moscow and All Russia from 1533, the first Russian Tzar from
1547 and until his death. His politics led to the territorial expansion
of Russia, consolidation of central power, structural reorganization of
the institutions of power; increase of political and trade relations with
England and the Netherlands in Europe, with Kabarda and Kakhetya in the
Caucasus and Bukhara in the East. At the same time the strengthening and
toughening of the serfdom led to future economical failure in Russia. He
was a quick-tempered, irascible person, very hard to deal with. His elder
son Ivan Ivanovich (1554-1581), the heir, a strong person and supporter
of his father, did not always agree with him. During one of their hot disputes,
Tzar Ivan struck his son with his heavy staff. The blow landed on the temple
and the tzarevich died. Repin managed to show the tragedy of a man and
a father.
See: Ilya Repin. Ivan the Terrible and
His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581.
Victor Vasnetsov. Tsar
Ivan IV the Terrible.
Korolenko, Vladimir Galaktionovich (1853-1921)
Russian novelist, born in Zhitomir. In 1879 was arrested for revolutionary
activities, 1881-84 spent in exile in Siberia. On his return, he published
Makar’s
Dream, made his name through stories and articles. In 1917, criticized
the bolsheviks’ regime of terror.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Author
Vladimir Korolemko.
Mamontov, Savva Ivanovich (1841-1918)
industrial tycoon and patron of arts. In 1870-90, his estate Abramtsevo
near Moscow became a center of artistic life in Russia, today it is considered
the cradle of the modern movement in Russian art. With his assistance art
shops were established to support and developed Russian folks crafts. In
1885, he organized a private Moscow Opera, which existed till 1904. Supported
many artists, novelists, and actors.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Savva Mamontov.
Valentin Serov. Portrait
of Savva Mamontov.
Mikhail Vrubel. Portrait
of Savva Mamontov.
Mendeleev, Dmitry Ivanovich (1834-1907)
Russian chemist, born in Tobolsk. Professor of chemistry at St. Petersburg
from 1866; he discovered and formulated the basic law of chemistry - the
periodic law; by which he predicted the existence of several elements which
were subsequently discovered. Element No 101 is named mendelevium after
him.
See: Ivan Kramskoy. Portrait
of Dmitry Mendeleyev.
Ilya Repin. Portrait of Dmitry Mendeleev.
Mussorgsky, Modest Petrovich (1835-81)
Russian composer, was educated for the army, but resigned in 1858 and began
serious studies of music under M. Balakirev. He first made a name with
his songs. His masterpiece opera Boris Godunov was first performed
in St. Petersburg in 1874. His piano suite Pictures from Exhibition
(1874) is also widely known. Other operas and large-scale works remained
unfinished. His friend Rimsky-Korsakov undertook the task of musical executor,
arranging or completing many of his unfinished works and rearranging some
of the finished ones.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Composer
Modest Musorgsky.
Myasoyedov, Grigory Grigoryevich (1834-1911),
Russian painter, one of the founders of the Society of Peredvizhniki.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Artist
Grigory Myasoedov.
Pirogov, Nikolay Nikolayevich (1810-1881)
Russian surgeon, naturalist, teacher and public figure; founder of military
field surgery, author of many operational methods and operations, introduced
the immobile bandage of French plaster. His Topographical Anatomy
(1851-54) was renowned worldwide. In social life, he was against class
prejudice in education and demanded compulsory primary education for everyone.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Surgeon
Nikolay Pirogov.
Pisemsky, Alexey Pheophilaktovich (1821-81)
Russian novelist. His best-known novel Thousand Souls (1858) gives
a panorama of Russian life on the eve of serf and land reforms of the 1860s;
the novel People of 40s (1869) is an attempt to understand the intellectual
life of his contemporaries.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Author
Alexey Pisemsky.
Pleve, Vyacheslav Konstantinovich (1846-1904)
Russian state figure. From 1884 Director of the Police Department, as well
as senator and vice-minister in the Ministry for Internal Affairs. From
1894 State Secretary. From 1899, Minister for Internal Affairs and Chief
of Gendarmery (political police). Led strict policy towards revolutionary
movements and actively supported war between Russia and Japan (1904-1905).
He was killed by E. S. Sazonov, a member of the Social Revolutionary Party.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of V. K. Pleve.
Repina, Nadezhda Ilyinichna (1874-1931),
daughter of the artist, got the education of a medical attendant, and worked
in the hospitals of St. Petersburg and in province. Volunteered to epidemic
regions; after hard work and continuous stress during epidemic of typhus
in 1910s she got psychologically ill and never recovered, from then lived
in Penates, the estate of her father.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Nadezhda
Repina, the Artist's Daughter.
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay Andreevich
(1844-1908) Russian composer, started his career as a naval officer, began
serious studies of music later in life. Author of 15 operas, among his
best are Sadko (1867-1896), The Maid of Pskov (1872, staged
by Diagilev in 1908 as Ivan the Terrible), The Snow Maiden
(1881), Tzar Saltan (1900), The Invisible City of Kitesh
(1906), the Golden Cockerel, his last work, begun in 1906, was based
on a satire against autocracy by Alexander
Pushkin and was banned at first from the Russian stage. In 1887-1888
he produced his orchestral masterpieces – Capriccio Espagnol, Easter
Festival and Scheherazade. After the death of his friend composer
A. Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, together with Alexander
Glazunov, completed his opera Prince Igor. Professor of St.
Petersburg Conservatory (from 1871). Among his pupils is Stravinsky, Director
of the Free Musical School (1874-81). His memoirs My Musical Life
(1906) were translated into English.
See Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Composer
Nikolay Rymsky-Korsakov.
Valentin Serov. Portrait
of the Composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.
Rubinstein, Anton Grigoryevich (1829-94)
Russian pianist and composer, born in Moldavia. He studied in Berlin and
Vienna, in 1848 settled in St. Petersburg, where he taught music and took
an active part in founding the conservatory, of which he was for a time
professor and director. The founder of the Moscow Conservatory was his
younger brother Nikolay Rubinstein (1835-1881). Anton made concert tours
in Europe and, in 1872-73, the USA, gaining widespread acclaim. His compositions
include operas Demon (1871), Makkaveis (1875), Neron
(1876) and others, oratorio Paradise Lost (1856), ballets, symphonies
and piano concertos. He wrote an Autobiography (translated into
English in 1891).
See: Vasily Perov. Portrait
of the Composer Anton Rubinstein. Portrait of the Composer Anton
Rubinstein.
Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Composer Anton
Rubinstein.
Sadko is a hero of a Russian fairy-tale,
a merchant from Novgorod. During his business trips, he visited many magical
lands, including the Sea Kingdom, where the daughter of the Sea King, Princess
Volkhova, fell in love with him and helped him to escape to land. There
is an opera on the subject by Rimsky-Korsakov
(1896). Many Russian artists worked on the stage set and designed costumes
for the play and opera. Among them are Repin and Vrubel.
See: Ilya Repin. Sadko.
Mikhail Vrubel. Parting
of the Sea King and Princess Volkhova, Princess
Volhova.
Samoilov Pavel Vasiliyevich (1866-1931),
son of outstanding Russian actor V.V. Samoilov (1813-1887), and an actor
himself.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Actor
Pavel Samoylov.
Sophia Alexeevna Romanova (1657-1704), daughter
of Tzar Alexey Mikhailovich (1629-1676), sister of Ioann V Alexeevich and
step-sister of Peter I the Great.
As a guardian of two young tzars (Ioann V and Peter I) she was a governor
of Russia in 1682-89. In a bid to become sole ruler, she plotted against
Peter I. As a result, he overthrew her and put her into the Novodevichy
convent. Her supporters were executed.
See: Ilya Repin. Tsarevna Sophia Alexeevna
in the Novodevitchy Convent.
Spasovich, Vladimir Danilovich (1829-1906)
a lawyer, specialist in international law, criminal law, and legal proceedings.
Professor of the St. Petersburg University (from 1857); author of the Course
on Criminal Law (1863).
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Lawyer
Vladimir Spasovitch.
Stasov, Vladimir Vasilyevich (1824-1906)
art and music critic, historian of arts, honorary member of the Academy
of Arts (1900). He was an ideologist and active participant in the group
of composers that is best known by the name “Mighty Handful” or "Mighty
Band", and in the painters' “Peredvizhniky” Society. He rejected academism
in favor of realism and romantic nationalism. Author of many works on archeology,
history, philosophy, and articles and essays on music, painting, sculpture,
with a particular emphasis on Russian composers and artists. Son of V.P.
Stasov, famous Russian architect, brother of Nadezhda Stasova and
Dmitry Stasov (see his portrait by V. Serov).
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Art Critic
Vladimir Stasov. Portrait of the Art Critic Vladimir Stasov.
Stasova, Nadezhda Vasilyevna (1822-1895),
public figure, participated in the movement for women’s emancipation, in
the organization of week-end schools for workers and in the founding of
Women's Higher Courses, which were the first institution in Russia to give
higher education to women. She was the daughter of V. P. Stasov,
the famous Russian architect, and the sister of Vladimir Stasov and Dmitry
Stasov.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Nadezhda
Stasova.
Strepetova Pelageya Antipyevna (1850-1903)
an outstanding tragic actress; on the stage from 1865. In the period 1881-90,
she was an actress in St. Petersburg Alexandriinsky Theater.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Actress
Pelageya Strepetova.
Tretyakov, Pavel Mikhailovich
(1832-1898) – prominent Russian businessmen, millionaire, philanthropist.
His charity activities supported many Russian artists. He collected Russian
Art and his collection, which he gave to Moscow in 1892, became the basis
of the Tretyakov Gallery, one of the biggest museums of Russian painting.
See: Ivan Kramskoy. Portrait
of Pavel Tretyakov, the Art Collector, Founder of the Gallery.
Ilya Repin. Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov,
Founder of the Tretyakov Gallery.
Verevkina, Vera Vasilyevna (1835?-1935)
artist, pupil of Repin.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of V. V. Verevkina.
Vershbilovich Alexander Valerianovich
(1849/50-1911) cello-player, pupil of K. Davydov, gave solo concerts, played
in the orchestra of the Italian Opera in Milan (starting in 1877) and the
Mariinsky Theatre (1882-85) in St. Petersburg. Professor of the St. Petersburg
Conservatory from 1890.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of the Chello-Player
Alexander Verzhbilovich.
Choosing a Bride for a Grand
Duke. Many Russian princes and Grand Dukes preferred to marry their
compatriots. It was a tradition that when a prince wanted to marry he ordered
all his subjects to bring their daughters to a special party at which he
chose the one he liked best.
See: Ilya Repin. Choosing a Bride for
a Grand Duke.
Zvetkov, Ivan Evgenyevich (1845-1917),
collector of paintings of Russian artists.
See: Ilya Repin. Portrait of Ivan Zvetkov.
Bibliography:
Repin. by G. Stepnin. Russian Painters of the XIX century. Moscow.
1985.
Ilya Repin. by A. Fedotov-Davydov. Iskusstvo. Moscow. 1989.
Ilya
Repin: Russia's Secret by H. W. Van OS. B.V. Waanders Uitgeverji,
2005.
Ilya
Repin and the World of Russian Art by Elizabeth Kridl Valkenier.
Columbia University Press, 1990.
The
Art and Architecture of Russia (Pelican History Art) by George
Heard Hamilton. Yale Univ Pr, 1992.
A
Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Artists 1420-1970 by John
Milner. Antique Collectors' Club, 1993.
Biography by Olga Mataev and Yuri Mataev. Historical notes by Olga Mataev.