Burlak 2 Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of the painting "Burlak" by Ilya Repin

The painting "Burlak" (1870) is one of the works that preceded the appearance of Ilya Efimovich Repin’s large-scale and famous painting "Burlaks on the Volga", a portrait of the burlak Kanin. The artist first became interested in the subject of boatmen while still in St. Petersburg when during one of his out-of-town trips along the Neva he saw gloomy and tattered people dragging a barque down the river; later the artist recalled how he was horrified he saw poor boatmen who were harnessed to a yoke instead of cattle. On the advice of a friend Repin, along with other artists went to the Volga to make some drawings and learn more about the Volga boatmen.

In the vicinity of Samara the artist found out where there usually was a burlaka artel. When he was able to get acquainted with each of the sailors individually, Repin began to realize that it is not cowardly and voiceless creatures, but real people, strong, intelligent and brave, worthy of respect. When Repin had the idea of depicting them on a vast overall canvas, the artist began to prepare for his main work, making numerous sketches, sketches, studies.

The most famous of the paintings of this time, devoted to storm troopers - a portrait of a man named Kanin, whom the artist especially admired. For Repin, he was the embodiment of wisdom and almost a philosopher, as pointed out by the painter himself. In his facial expressions, movements and speech Repin saw the depth and great strength of soul, trying to convey these features in the picture he created. And three years later, was completed the main work, depicting the work of the entire artel - eleven boatmen with Kanin in the front row, pulling against the stream of a bulky barge.