Beggar (Female-fisherwoman). Vel Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "Beggar Woman".

The painting "Beggar Woman" came out from under the artist’s brush in 1874. It was painted by the young Repin in the town of Vail, in France. By critics all over the world the picture is recognized as the best creation of the artist’s youth.

Despite the fierce struggle of the State Tretyakov Gallery for the right to include the "Beggar Woman" in his exposition, the picture is in the Regional Art Museum of Irkutsk. For a long time, the canvas was hunted. Deceived the director of the museum in Irkutsk got hold of a masterpiece from the restorers from the Tretyakov gallery. Miraculously, he escaped punishment.

The canvas was painted from life. Repin then spent a lot of time painting in the open air. Poor French girls often posed for pay for various creators. In this way, they received crumbs, allowing at least something to live on. Later, in a correspondence with an old friend, Ilya mentions a model girl. There is discontent in the lines. The girl posed badly - she twitched and made a mess of herself. However, the artist was able to see behind all this a subtle soul and the true state of affairs. The portrait turned out to be complex, deep and very complete. The artist spent little time on its creation, so burning with the idea.

The girl is depicted with a fishing net in her hands. The drawing is very fine, detailed. Tanned, with sunburned eyebrows and weathered skin, the girl is filled with a spectrum of emotions. The colors chosen are restrained, dark. However, the choice of color did not affect the vividness of the picture. Many experts say that it was this work that allowed Repin to establish himself as a brilliant portraitist.