Ilya Repine, painting the soul of Russia, the retrospective at the Petit Palais

One of the most eminent artists of the history of art in Russia is very little-known in France: unfairness the Petit Palais intends to fix. From October 5, 2021 to January 23, 2022, the museum invites you to discover the masterpieces painted by Ila Repine through a never-before-seen exhibition called Ilya Repine, painting the soul of Russia.

About a hundred paintings – most of them being lent by Russian museums – are given pride of place by the Petit Palais. The tour enables to return on the artist’s life and work who strongly influenced the art world in the 19^th and 20^th centuries in Russia.

From literature to science to music, Repine is interested in literally everything. This curiosity and this open-mindedness are found in his paintings depicting common scenes, but always filled with life on a daily basis. The painter also ventures out to immortalize field work, sailors in the port, protestors in the streets…

All along his long career, he immortalized major moments in the history of Russia and met major characters from the Russian culture such as Tolstoi, composer Mussorgsky and collector Tretiakov. The painter – who lived from 1844 to 1930 – witnessed major technical, political and social changes that are often depicted in his works.

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This realistic artist paints many portraits of his family and major art figures from his time. His paintings feature a soft look shining a light on models while sticking to reality. Most of all, one notices his exceptional mastery of lights making his paintings enthralling.

Fascinated by the popular movements challenging the power of the royal family, Ilya Repine paints events and wonders about the history of his country.

The immersive staging of the exhibition and the paintings exceptionally lent by Russian museums – some being very large – enable to dive into the life of this incredible painter who managed to grasp the Russian soul with his brushes.