The painting with the mysterious title “Portrait of E.K.” depicts Elena Kalacheva, soon to become Elena Anatolyevna Krylova — the artist’s wife. Meeting with this charming young woman brought Porfiry Krylov back the joy of life and creative inspiration after experiencing great loss. His first wife, 24-year-old Sophia Smirnova, died four years after the wedding due to heart disease.

Porfiry Krylov affectionately called Elena Lyosha. Their union lasted more than half a century. Elena gave birth to son Anatoly and together they raised Krylov’s eldest son from his first marriage Andryusha. Both sons became artists. The couple lived a long and happy life and died the same year.

In “Portrait of E.K.”, Porfiry Krylov depicted a young woman in a bright striped cap and scarf, in a dark blue coat, tightly fitting her slender figure. Using light, translucent strokes, the artist gently and skillfully defined the young woman’s face. There are no clear lines in the picture, they are very delicate, like youth and beauty.

The Russian poet and playwright Georgy Grigoryev wrote a poem “Portrait of the Artist’s Wife” that captures feeling of this painting perfectly:

Porfiry Krylov painted many portraits of his wife, they present a chronicle of their family life. In paintings from different years, Elena is shown as a young woman, a woman expecting a baby, a nursing mother. In later works, Elena Krylova is already a grandmother sitting on the balcony, reading a book to her granddaughter Alyonushka, the daughter of her son Anatoly.