Ilya Repin, Barge haulers on the Volga, 1873

     Ilya Repin spent three months in the Volga River region with his brother, Vasily, and some friends in 1870. One of Repin’s greatest works, Barge Haulers on the Volga, was inspired by this vacation. As he walked down the beach Repin noticed the barges and picnickers on the shore. He had trouble finding people to pose as subjects, even for money, because of the idea that painting took away the soul. Preliminary sketches of the barge haulers included animalistic figures that evolved into real people with individual personalities. Each of the eleven figures represents the diversity of Russia itself with diverse ages, physiques, and backgrounds. Giving faces and emotion to the figures makes the scene relatable and realistic.

While the foreground does not seem out of place in the painting, the scene seems juxtaposed against the warm seascape in a way that taints it. Each of the characters creates a forward thrust through shadows and tension in the hauling harnesses. This headfirst lunge has subjects coming toward viewers and connects onlookers to the painting. All figures but one are in the dark shadows. This youthful figure pushes back against the repression of the ties. Dressed in tattered garments this child similar looks to other figures, but his childlike resistance and energy creates a break in the motion of hauling.