Read the girl Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "The Reading Girl

Some claim that the canvas depicts Repin’s sister-in-law. If you look at the painting more closely, you will immediately see that it was from this canvas that Repin began to better convey life directly, as it is, without adding any embellishments.

In the middle of the painting sits a young girl in a voluminous black dress with long sleeves. The dress, rather sparingly decorated, has some simple cuffs and a canvas collar. The dress has no further details or embellishments other than a brooch in the chest area or a large button, which is barely noticeable in the picture.

Turning now to the image of the girl herself, she is quite beautiful and has gorgeous curly long red hair with a golden glow. The hair seems to shine and seem to be even more voluminous, because the source of light is behind the seated woman.

The main character is seated in a soft armchair with a high rounded back and velvet upholstery. The canvas has a neutral background, which is done in very sprawling strokes. The dress has very embossed pleats, which are simultaneously illuminated from the side and back.

Thanks to this method, the silhouette of the girl looks voluminous, not flat. Also worth noting is the girl’s face, which became even more expressive and relief, relative to the background.

The girl is passionately reading the letter, the envelope of which is torn and lies on her lap. The letter seems to shine a light on her face. The girl, in turn, is so enthusiastically reading the letter that she even opens her mouth a little. But the secret of this painting is something else.

Initially, it may seem that the girl is holding the letter with both hands, but in fact, the second hand from behind the chair is not hers. And because of this, the quiet plot acquires a certain intrigue.