The artwork “Zaporizhian colonel” is a portrait executed in the medium of oil on canvas, painted by the artist Ilya Repin in the year 1880. This piece is an example of the Realism art movement and measures 56 x 31 cm. Currently, the portrait is housed at the Sumy Museum of Fine Arts located in Sumy, Ukraine.
The artwork presents a figure of dignified bearing, interpreted as a Zaporizhian colonel, which is an indication of a Ukrainian Cossack military rank. The individual is garbed in what appears to be a traditional, ornate military uniform, dominant in hues of gold and red, reflecting an opulent status that is often associated with high military officials of that era. The colonel is characterized by his intense gaze and a certain contemplativeness, as he leans upon what looks like a cannon, suggesting a moment of repose amidst the prevalence of martial undertones. The artist’s use of realism is evident in the nuanced depiction of the textures of the uniform and the lifelike representation of the colonel’s visage, capturing a sense of the subject’s character and the gravity of his position within the historical context the portrait represents.