The artwork “Portrait of Vera Repina” is an oil on canvas painting by the artist Ilya Repin, created in the year 1874. This piece is exemplary of the Realism art movement, depicting a subject with fidelity to everyday life without idealization. Measuring 73 by 60 centimeters, the genre of this artwork is a portrait, and it is housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork portrays a young girl seated against a dark, indistinct background that contrasts with the vivid detail of her figure. She has a contemplative or wistful expression on her face. Her attire suggests a sense of formality or a special occasion, as she is dressed in a black and white garment, elaborated with lines and bands in a contrasting white, indicative of a careful attention to the fashion of the time. Upon her head is a hat adorned with what appears to be a floral decoration, adding a touch of innocence and youthfulness to the composition.
In her hands, the young girl holds a slice of watermelon, the bright red and green of the fruit providing a splash of color to the otherwise subdued palette. To her side, there is a small wooden toy horse, a detail that evokes the simplicity and charm of childhood. The brushwork in the painting is refined yet unfussy, capturing the textures of the child’s clothing, the softness of her hair, and the delicate details of her features with tactile precision. Repin’s skill in rendering the psychological nuance of his subject is evident, as the viewer is drawn into a quiet, introspective moment captured on canvas.
