The artwork titled “Portrait of the Surgeon Nikolay Pirogov” was created by the renowned artist Ilya Repin in 1881. It is an oil painting on canvas that belongs to the Realism art movement and falls under the genre of portraiture.
The painting captures Nikolay Pirogov, a prominent Russian surgeon, with profound realism and depth. The sitter is depicted with a commanding presence, his face marked by experience and age. His gaze seems contemplative and resolute, conveying a sense of wisdom and dedication that befits a person of his profession and stature. The use of chiaroscuro illuminates Pirogov’s visage against the dark background, highlighting the textures of his skin and the white of his beard, which contrasts with the black of his attire. The artist’s brushwork provides a tactile sense of the surgeon’s likeness, making the portrait resonate with psychological depth—a hallmark of Repin’s mastery in portraiture.
