Returning from the war Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "Return from the War".

The author of many world-famous paintings, Russian genius Ilya Repin created another masterpiece of genre painting in 1877. The work is called "Returning from War". It presents the viewer a multi-figure composition with deep social implications.

The central figure - a young soldier, with a big smile and cheerfulness telling his astonished listeners in the village war stories.

One can notice the author’s ironic and even denunciatory attitude to the soldier’s behavior in the painting. The boy returned to his native village with a slight wound: his forehead is bandaged and his right hand is tied to his neck. His relaxed, self-satisfied demeanor makes the villagers shy.

The soldier’s tales upset the women in the cabin. The men react in different ways: a young man opens his mouth in surprise, mature and elderly men listen with interest. A severe-looking mustached man even lit a cigarette. You just want to be a participant in the scene, to hear the story that has so alarmed everyone.

Repin painted historical domestic paintings in the style of realism. Simple, untidy clothes of the people reliably convey the state of the people in the postwar period. The decoration of the hut is modest and gloomy. But the bright emotions of joy and liveliness of the people gathered here distract attention from the inconspicuous surroundings, painting the atmosphere of the canvas with bright colors.

In the far corner, a woman in black attire seems to be hiding. She is not attracted to what is happening in the house. The mother or someone’s wife is imbued with grief - she mourns the dead, those who have not returned like this joyful soldier.

The Russian painter again struck with his mastery of creating a genre scene where all the characters wear individual traits and are consumed by different feelings.

"Return from the War" is in the Estonian Metropolitan Museum of Art.