Church and bell tower in Chuguyev 1880

Ilya Repin created this pencil drawing of the Church and bell tower in Chuguyev. Repin was born in Chuguyev, in what is now Ukraine, and he later became one of Russia's most celebrated realist painters. This sketch, simple as it is, hints at the complex relationship between Ukrainian and Russian identity. Repin, of Ukrainian heritage, navigated a Tsarist Russia that was keen on promoting a unified, Russian identity. Religious architecture, like the church depicted, played a crucial role in community life. The drawing captures a sense of place and belonging, yet it also reflects the tensions inherent in being part of a culture that was often subsumed by a larger political entity. The sketch provides us with a personal view of Repin's homeland. It invites us to consider the artist’s own negotiation of identity, caught between regional roots and imperial expectations.