“The Blond (Portrait of Tevashova)” is an artwork created by the illustrious artist Ilya Repin in the year 1898. The painting, executed using oil on canvas, measures 71 by 58 centimeters and belongs to the Realism art movement. Renowned for his portraiture, Repin captures the essence of the genre in this work.
The artwork presents the viewer with a portrait of a young woman depicted with a gentle, pensive expression. Her hair is of a light shade, styled in an elegant updo that was fashionable at the time. The brushwork is fluid and demonstrates a masterful understanding of light and shadow, which gives life to the subject’s visage and figure. The subject is adorned in a dress of muted tones, the fabric rendering with careful attention to the play of light that gives it a rich texture. There is a hint of an interior setting in the background, which fades into obscurity, bringing the focus sharply on the sitter, as is typical of many portraits that aim to capture the character and presence of the individual. Repin’s work here is reflective of the Realist movement’s emphasis on depicting subjects truthfully without artifice or exaggeration, focusing on the human condition and real-life situations.
