Portrait of a Woman Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "Portrait of a Woman

Repin was essentially a portrait painter. Single or group, austere or cheerful, they were equally well done by this talented painter. Of course, more often we see all the same is the individual canvas, which helps to reveal the soul and thoughts of the depicted person in the most detailed way.

A very great contribution to the work of Repin made it a woman’s portrait of a stranger, though at first glance it seems absolutely typical of the time. Can not say here the exuberance of colors or significant contrasts, but this is what is the main feature of the painting. It shows a rather mature and beautiful woman. By her manner of holding her back, raising her head and the look itself, we can easily determine that she was not from a poor class. But at the same time, there was not an ounce of pampering, spoiling, or indolence about her. Her whole essence indicates that the woman is accustomed to work and will not tolerate others slacking off.

The stranger’s gaze is rather stern, her lips thin and mannishly pressed upward. Not a trace of a smile or coquetry is to be seen on her face. A network of fine wrinkles will tell about the hard fate of this lady. What so influenced her character. Where is the inherent coquetry of all aristocrats, where are the girlish grimaces and the old affectation. That’s right, all left somewhere far behind, gone irrevocably, as leaves and youth. And now the woman is her own shadow, only a shadow of youth, of brightness. All we are left with is the memory of her former beauty, and that is why her face is obscured, we can hardly see it under the soft and dim light.

The whole picture breathes with restraint, modesty and some incomprehensible dryness, as if all the brightness and joy of life had been taken away from her, leaving only the harsh reality.