His First (And Best) Realist Painting

Ilya Repin's first realist painting is an unforgettable work once you pause and look at it for a bit. Join us in this short analysis of Repin's masterpiece.

#arthistory #art

[Shawn.Grenier]

Look at you in the comments!

Also I stream (almost) every day!: twitch.tv/germinaal

[katorzhnik]

I saw this in St. Petersburg, during my first visit to Russia, in 1991. It is an enormous painting. The figures are practically life size. I stared at it for maybe 20 minutes. It is a profound piece of art. Thanks for doing a video of this. Now consider doing one of Repin's strawberry-haired peasant girl. That, for me, is his most heart- breaking painting.

[Amon-htpo]

Wow, what an incredibel painting. It's one of those paintings that just stays in your head.

[bluehairychair]

Very empathetic video and the painting itself, always makes me tear up. It was painted in my hometown so hits close to home, no pun intended.
It’s also interesting to see it in the context in which it would’ve been displayed. Repin was one of Peredvizhniki - a group of artists that rebelled against Imperial Academy of Art in St P. They would not only travel around Russia to paint its landscapes and people (going against the hierarchy of genres, upon which the historical genre presided) but they would also bring exhibitions to the regions outside of the capital. Making art literally closer to people.
Thank you for the video

[joshumu]

The kid is what stood out to me at first, all shinny and new. I definitely took the more pessimistic view, that instead of liberating himself, he was adjusting himself to a life of drudgery, day after day, year after year, until he was as worn out as the men around him. Such a hard hitting painting. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Crazy it was bought by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. Its hard for me to imagine someone at the top of the pyramid wanting to look at this on the daily, though it was probably more of a 'soft' power move than an actual admiration of the art.

[krusher]

I’m very amateur when it comes to painters and whatnot, so obviously I have a small pool of famous artists I know. This painting def gives me some of Goya’s black painting vibes, the beauty and sadness at once. But the facial expressions are on another level

[josedasilva]

Another good analysis of a striking painting. You just forgot to mention something that intensifies this work even more. It's size. The person in front is almost life-size and the exhausted man looking at the viewer in this scene makes us feel even more present in the moment captured by Repin.

[isstinna]

I live in St.Petersburg Russia and we have a lot of his paintings since he lived there. They are all so huge! Like they take up the whole wall! He has been my favourite artist/painter since my childhood!

[Obitotobifan]

soundtrack on these videos always go hard

[Emi-mded]

Incredible, striking painting, but also one of your best videos yet. The pacing, the musical accompaniment, the analysis, it's all greatly done.

[julialindejulia]

Metaphorically speaking, nothing has changed since then in Russia. It hurts so much. Can these labourers rise against those in power? Nope - Until another revolution comes. Everything goes in a circle. I told my 15 yo daughter a brief history of Great Britain. She says: there’s no way for us, mama. We haven’t got our Magna Carta in Russia. We won’t get out of all this shit.
Thank you for your kind heart and compassion to people of any nationality. You are a true man. Your videos are full of love to people.

[kellswitch]

This is a haunting image, and it says so much about poor people are seen. It was cheaper to pay 11-12 men to do this job then a few oxen. The oxen are more valuable than the human lives being ground down. I wish this image didn't still resonate and feel timely.

[jakegarvin]

i like #3 - "Are you going to help, or just sit there and paint?"

[lyra]

This video brought me to tears. Well done.

[sundaddy]

i think this was one of your best shorter videos, thank you for introducing me to this piece

[giulianoradice]

Il quadro di Repin " I Battelieri del Volga " fu ispirato da un'opera analoga del pittore macchialiolo Telemaco Signorini vista da Repin nel suo soggiorno toscano . L'opera di Signorini si intitola " L 'ALZAIA " e rappresenta degli uomini che trascinano controcorrente sull'Arno una barca . Questo quadro del pittore toscano era stato disperso ed è stato ritrovato recentemente . È stato subito acquistato da un antiquario per una somma considerevole

[SillyFoo]

I feel like I learn more ab art and art history from this channel than I will in my actual class

[niki]

You deserce every single view, like and patron you earn from this channel. It's simply amazing with the kniwledge and intelligrnce it shines to us, the simpletons.

[donovanreimer]

What a magnificent video. Such quality.

[empatheticrambo]

This was a moving painting to hear, and a moving quote to pair it with