Portrait of V.D. Ratov (S.M. Muratov) 1910

Ilya Repin made this oil painting of V.D. Ratov with visible, energetic brushstrokes. It's like the whole image has come into being through a process of shifting, and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. Just look at the thick globs of paint that make up the pinkish fabric draped over the sitter's shoulders. I imagine Repin was trying to capture not just a likeness, but something of the inner life of his subject. Maybe he was thinking about how to convey a sense of vulnerability, or perhaps he was simply fascinated by the play of light and shadow on Ratov’s face and hands. What was it like to create this? The way the pink brushstrokes almost vibrate against the dark background reminds me of Van Gogh, doesn't it? It's as if Repin is in conversation with all the painters who came before him, grappling with the same questions of how to capture the essence of a person on canvas. Painting is such an embodied form of expression, embracing all the ambiguity and uncertainty of life. We viewers are all invited to participate in this ongoing exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.