PAvel KOrin was a popular portraitist, who painted many prominent personalities of the 20th century. They were scientists, writers, military commanders, and artists. In each case, the artist tried to convey the very character of the person portrayed. In his memoirs, he wrote that the ‘portrait has to have an exalted spiritual aspect to it… You can start painting only when you had grasped the very essence of the person’s soul, had seen its best manifestations.’

Marshal PAvel RybAlko’s portrait belongs to a series of Soviet commanders' portraits. Korin worked on it in the first years after the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. Rybalko was a renowned military commander, who received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for skillful command of the tank army at the Battle of Kursk and the Second Battle of Kyiv. He is considered to be one of the best tank generals in the Red Army, famed for his courage and valor.

‘We had a few talented tank commanders, ’ said Marshal Konev. ‘Without belittling their achievements I would like to say that in my opinion, Rybalko was the most insightful with regards to the nature and capabilities of tank armies. Though his military career did not begin with tanks, he loved and appreciated the vehicles and was well familiar with them. He knew the limits and capabilities of tanks, and always kept them in mind when instructing the troops.’

The person portrayed by Pavel Korin has a wilful face, an open straight look, and broad shoulders of a military commander. All the details clearly point to the person’s resolve and firmness. The static character of Rybalko’s solid and monolithic appearance emphasizes his enormous inner strength.

Korin’s creative legacy is incredibly diverse. He was a landscape artist and created majestic sceneries of Russian nature, worked on mosaics, and carefully studied mosaics techniques. Restoration also played a significant role in Korin’s life: for twenty-seven years he headed the restoration workshop of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.