The artwork titled “Portrait of N.D. Ermakov” was painted by the renowned Russian artist Ilya Repin in the year 1914. This work is part of the Realism movement and falls within the genre of portraiture, capturing the essence of the subject with lifelike fidelity and attention to detail.
In this portrait by Ilya Repin, the subject, N.D. Ermakov, is depicted seated, turned slightly to his left, giving us a three-quarter view of his profile. He is dressed in formal attire, wearing a crisp white jacket adorned with a red pocket square, a vest, and a tie with stripes. His posture is relaxed yet dignified, with one hand gently resting on what appears to be the handle of a cane, suggesting a sense of refinement and perhaps authority. The individual is balding, with a neat moustache, and he looks into the distance with a pensive, almost introspective gaze.
The background of the artwork is rendered with loose, expressive brushstrokes, providing a contrast to the carefully detailed depiction of the subject. These strokes suggest a richly decorated environment, befitting the stature and pose of the portrayed gentleman. This juxtaposition of detailed realism in the subject against a more impressionistic background is characteristic of Repin’s works, who masterfully blended the two approaches to reinforce the emotional depth and character of his portraits.
