“In Ilya Repin’s Studio” is a sketch for the painting titled “Positioning a Model in Ilya Repin’s Studio at the Academy of Arts” (1899–1902). It was painted by a group of Kustodiev’s students. The artist himself designed the composition and contributed several portraits of his fellow students.

The sketch depicts Repin’s students, including women who were already permitted to the Academy during that period. They are painting, consulting with each other, and looking at the results of their work. In the center is Ilya Repin himself — a stocky little figure in a dark suit with a stance typical of the artist. He examines the work resting on his easel, which is not visible to the viewer. Several students behind him watch their teacher attentively, waiting for his feedback. The spacious room with a window and several lamps under the ceiling is full of people. It is hardly surprising because at times Ilya Repin, one of the most popular teachers at the Imperial Academy of Arts, had up to a hundred students.

As is typical of sketches, the people are difficult to identify. The figures are depicted without a lot of details or facial features. This is why specific personalities can only be guessed based on their stances and some typical details. As for the actual painting, Kustodiev contributed the portraits of Dmitry Bogoslovsky, Svetlana Beklemisheva, Vassa Yepifanova, Yevgeniya Malishevskaya, Philipp Malyavin, and Alexander Murashko. It was together with Murashko that Kustodiev worked on the figure of the model.

It is known that Boris Kustodiev, who transferred to Ilya Repin’s class from Ivan Tvorozhnikov and Vasily Savinsky, was greatly influenced by his teacher at the beginning of his career. Ilya Repin helped his students develop their artistic spirit and contribute to social life, treasuring their creative individuality. He had high hopes for Kustodiev. As one of his most promising students, along with Ivan Kulikov, Kustodiev was invited to participate in painting the work which largely determined his fate — “Ceremonial Sitting of the State Council on 7 May 1901 Marking the Centenary of its Foundation” (1901–1903).