In 1910 Saratov City Duma commissioned to Ilya Repin the portrait of an honorary citizen Petr Stolypin. It was planned to place the painting in the Duma hall in recognition of the politician’s assistance in establishing the Saratov University. Also, in 1903-1906 Stolypin was the city governor and his ancestral lands were located in the Saratov Province.
Portrait of Petr Stolypin
Creation period
1910
Dimensions
116,5x76,5 cm
Technique
Oil on canvas
Collection
6
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Repin I.E.
Portrait of P.A. Stolypin
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At the time Repin was commissioned to paint Stolypin’s portrait, the politician headed the Russian Council of Ministers. Many criticized the reforms that he conducted while in that position. Repin and his circle also commented negatively on his activities. So, when Repin was asked to paint his portrait, the painter tried to refuse several times. He set for the Saratov City Duma the conditions that were hard to implement — a high pay for his work, multiple posing sessions, a special frame. The master recommended other painters but the Duma insisted and fulfilled all of Repin’s wishes. He had to agree.
Ilya Repin portrayed Petr Stolypin in his office. The politician is sitting comfortably in a chair against the background of a red drape. He is holding a newspaper in his hands. This attaches a feeling of casualty to the image, as though he did not specially pose for the painter. It was important for Repin to accurately convey his personal nature in the portrait, therefore he placed the main accent on the facial expression of his model. Stolypin’s concentrated and serious look is the evidence of a difficult time for the Prime Minister. By that time he lived through several assassination attempts and felt that his life was in danger. The overall color scheme of the painting – dark red and black – strengthen the tension.
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By the time of this painting Repin had already painted portraits of many outstanding people of the time: scientist Dmitry Mendeleyev, writer Lev Tolstoy, Composer Modest Musorgsky. The master was primarily acclaimed for his psychological portraits.Contemporaries noted the painter’s observance and ability to convey a person’s temperaments in painting.
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I.E. Repin. Portrait of Professor Dmitry Mendeleyev, oil on canvas.
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I.E. Repin. Portrait of Lev Tolstoy, oil on canvas.
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‘Repin’s insight as a portrait painter is that he can in a person see right away, at first sight the unique characteristic features, inalienable parts of his physiognomy, his physical personality…’,
— wrote poet Sergey Makovsky
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Until 1918 Stolypin’s portrait was in Saratov City Duma. After the revolution it was transferred to the A.N. Radishchev Museum of Fine Arts and is currently part of its collection.
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A.N. Radishchev Saratov State Museum of Fine Arts
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Portrait of Petr Stolypin
Creation period
1910
Dimensions
116,5x76,5 cm
Technique
Oil on canvas
Collection
6
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