Andrei Ryabushkin was a Russian artist of genre and historical painting, who mainly recreated the Moscow lifestyle of the 17th century. He belonged to a group of national artists who were closely connected to the traditions of Russian people, folk art, old Russian iconography and fresco painting.
Andrei Ryabushkin was born into a peasant family on October 29, 1861, in the village of Stanichnaya Sloboda, near the town of Borisoglebsk, Tambov Governorate. His father Pyotr Vasilyevich Ryabushkin and his elder brother Fyodor were both icon painters. From a young age, Andrei helped them with their work. When he turned 14, his village was visited by Andrey Kharlampievich Preobrazhensky — a fellow countryman and student at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Preobrazhensky noted Ryabushkin’s obvious skills and invited him to come to Moscow, where he helped Andrei enroll at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Vasily Perov was one of the teachers there, and Ryabushkin quickly became his favorite student. After Perov’s death, Ryabushkin dropped out of the school and moved to Saint Petersburg to attend the Academy of Arts.
Later, Ryabushkin embarked on a journey to the old towns of Russia. There, he sketched the monuments of early Russian architecture and copied church frescoes. He also studied old documents and books, which sparked his interest in history. Unfortunately, Ryabushkin’s life was cut short, as he died at the age of 42 from tuberculosis in the Didvino estate in the Novgorod Uyezd.
The displayed work features a shoulder-length, three-quarter view portrait of an elderly woman against a dark neutral background. Her thin, elongated face is characterized by a surprised and somewhat unfriendly expression. The look of her dark, deep-set eyes is directed forward. She has a prominent nose, and her lips are slightly parted. A black handkerchief with a red ornamental pattern, covering her head, is fastened under her chin. “Old Woman. Study” is a preparatory sketch for the painting “A Young Man Breaking into the Girls Dance, and the Old Women are in Panic” by Andrei Ryabushkin.
Ryabushkin’s 110 works are exhibited at the State Russian Museum, State Tretyakov Gallery, and other prominent museums.
