The artwork titled “Portrait of the Author Leonid Andreev” is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist Ilya Repin in 1904. It exemplifies the Realism art movement and is a portrait genre piece. The dimensions of the artwork are 76 by 66.5 centimeters. Presently, it is housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
In the artwork, we observe a seated male figure, presumably the author Leonid Andreev, set against a loosely brushed background that suggests a verdant outdoor space. The subject dominates the composition, occupying a central and forward position in the frame. His expression is pensive and perhaps even brooding, with deep-set eyes that communicate a sense of intellectual intensity or inner contemplation. Repin’s brushstrokes are vigorous and confidently applied, particularly visible in the rendering of the subject’s white shirt, which is accented with streaks of crimson, and in the modeling of his facial features.
The artist has signed and dated the portrait in the upper right corner, asserting the artwork’s authenticity and the period in which it was created. The emotional charge and psychological depth conveyed in the portrait are hallmarks of Repin’s ability to capture the essence of his subjects, making this painting a significant contribution to the genre of portraiture and to the oeuvre of Realist art.
