Ilya Repin often, willingly and skillfully painted portraits, and often posed him very famous people. Thanks to this, modern viewers have a unique opportunity to compare his works with real photographs, to see what Mussorgsky, Leo Tolstoy, his daughter Tatiana Sukhotina and actress Maria Andreeva really looked like.
Portrait of Maria Andreeva
Maria Andreeva was not only a fatal beauty, but also a famous actress. She had an affair with a wealthy manufacturer Savva Morozov and insisted that he took on the costs of opening the Moscow Art Theater, where Stanislavsky worked, and where she herself worked. It is not known whether this was purely practical calculation and service to art, and Morozov himself as a person Andreeva was not interested, or indeed she loved the patron of the arts, but nevertheless her ability to achieve their goals can only be admired.
With Repin Morozova was familiar from her youth: she posed for him at the age of 15 for illustrations for Pushkin's play “The Stone Guest”, where she was the prototype of Donna Anna.
“The Stone Guest (Don Juan and Donna Anna),” 1888-1889.
In 1905, Andreeva, who by then was seriously interested in Bolshevik literature and joined the RSDLP, together with her common-law husband, the writer Maxim Gorky, came to Repin in his Pienaty. There she again posed for the famous artist, but the resulting portrait was not too successful.
Left: Maxim Gorky and posing Maria Andreeva, 1905 photo. / Right: portrait of Maria Andreeva
Kuprin, having seen Repin's work, spoke of it this way: “Andreeva on it is not himself, does not look like himself. This huge hat distracts attention to himself and shades the face, which Repin for some reason gave a repulsive expression. The artist could only agree with the criticism - he himself saw that the portrait was unsuccessful, and just wanted to make sure of it.
Portrait of Modest Mussorgsky
Repin was friends with the composer Modest Mussorgsky, sincerely admired his work, but could not put up with drunkenness. “Mussorgsky is a Guards officer, a smart man and the soul of the company with impeccable upbringing and manners when sober. However, is often in some cheap pubs, where he gets so drunk that he gets lost among the local bums and become indistinguishable from them.” In March 1881, Mussorgsky went to the hospital. His condition was very serious and Repin decided to paint a portrait of his friend, perhaps the last in his life.
Left: portrait of Modest Mussorgsky / Right: photo of Modest Mussorgsky in 1870
Unsuccessful portrait of actress Andreeva, drinking Mussorgsky and unquestioning Leo Tolstoy. How did they look like in Repin's paintings and in real life?
In four days the portrait was ready. Repin did not take money for the work, and when Mussorgsky died 10 days later, he donated part of his funds for his monument.
Leo Tolstoy on the plowing field, 1887.
Tolstoy and Repin were friends for nearly 30 years, and for all this time Repin wrote 12 portraits of the great Russian writer. And he respected him so much that he never challenged Tolstoy's opinion, even when it came to his favorite art, where Repin could defend his views with a foam at the mouth.
Resting in the woods, 1891.
Tolstoy was a friend and unquestionable authority for Repin, and therefore sometimes directly criticized the paintings, although he usually praised them, saying about particularly successful: “the craftsmanship is such that you can not see the mastery.
Portrait of Leo Tolstoy 1887 and photo of the writer
Repin also worked on the portrait of Tolstoy's daughter Tatiana Sukhotina, who willingly posed for the artist. She was fond of painting, successfully copied her father's portraits, which Repin painted, but did not dare to create something of her own.
Right: portrait of Tatyana Sukhotina / Left: her photo with her husband Mikhail Sukhotin
However, the technique of painting, she mastered quite well and even opened after the revolution, a drawing studio in Moscow, hoping to earn a little money for a living.
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