Seller of student works at the Academy of Arts 1870

Ilya Repin's "Seller of Student Works at the Academy of Arts" (1870) is a portrait painting depicting a weathered man wearing a worn cap and a dark coat. The artist captures a moment of quiet contemplation, with the subject's gaze directed downward, perhaps lost in thought about his humble trade. Repin, a master of realism, employs loose brushstrokes to emphasize the textures of the man's face and clothing, further accentuating the subject's rugged appearance. This study of an ordinary individual reflects Repin's interest in portraying the lives of common people, a theme that would become central to his later works.