Portrait of the artist Valentin Serov Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "Portrait of the Artist Serov.

The artists Ilya Repin and Valentin Serov first met when Serov was not even seven years old. When Valentin’s father, a famous musician, passed away, Repin came to his funeral. A year later, Valentin began to draw in Repin’s studio. Repin later appreciated Serov’s talent as a painter, noting also his irrepressible industriousness and persistence. Since childhood, Valentin displayed great ability, which, with the help of his older friend, strengthened year by year.

The artists carried their friendship throughout their lives; amusingly, there are paired paintings in their works, such as Portrait of Sophia Dragomirova. Apparently, the artists painted her simultaneously; the young woman in the portraits of Serov and Repin depicted in the same, quite remarkable, outfit and in the same pose.

Naturally, the friendship of the two artists could not help but pour into drawing each other; there are two famous portraits of Repin painted by Serov and two portraits of Serov painted by Repin. Serov’s portraits are not very different from each other, although four years lie between them; it may seem that the same sketch is mirrored and slightly altered.

Repin draws Serov slightly obese, awkward man, thorough and serious; the artist looks directly at the viewer, but slightly oblique, as if embarrassed. His hand is on the armrest of his chair, and his head is slightly pulled into his shoulders. Despite the official, with a jacket and vest suit, wearing Sergei Serov, the portrait seems intimate and homely, not ceremonial - so could portray the hero only a close friend.