“They Did Not Expect Him” by Ilya Repin (1884) and “Low Marks Again” by Fedor Reshetnikov (1953)

Ilya Repin’s work “They Did Not Expect Him” (1884), seen above, is recognized as an exemplar of Russian art. Because of his status as a renowned Russian artist educated at the Academy, Repin was able to depict a politically contentious scene without offering a definitive interpretation. David F. Jackson writes, “It should be understood then that Repin’s ambivalent painting is never likely to give itself up to a simple explanation of any unitary meaning…Ironically then for this icon of the realist school and its once derided methodology of objective classification, the work’s interdisciplinary appeal and diversity of interpretive possibilities can now be regarded as its abiding appeal. Within postmodernist discourses the painting’s inherent ambiguity, its refusal to conform to the status of a sociological painted sermon but instead to offer a series of potential appraisals can rightly be praised,”1. The painting was created after the coronation of Alexander III and around the time many exiles were granted amnesty and permitted to return from Siberia 2. As a result, “They Did Not Expect Him,” depicts the return of an exile. As described earlier, the actual meaning of this painting is unclear. Elizabeth Valkenier, a professor of art history and archaeology at Columbia University, writes, “While Stasov claimed that the exile was a positive figure, someone ready to carry on, the conservatives were equally convinced that Repin ‘despite himself’ had painted a broken and repentant individual,”3. There is no way to develop a single narrative for this painting. Based on the lighting and layout of the painting, Valkenier attempts to offer a semblance of meaning by suggesting that the exile is symbolic of radical socialist politics in Russia and that he is a metaphor or allegorized image of Jesus 2;3. No matter the meaning, “They Did Not Expect Him,” was recognized as an exquisite example of critical realism and served as inspiration for later works.

For example, Fedor Reshetnikov’s “Low Marks Again” (1953), seen to the right, is similar in style and composition to “They Did Not Expect Him.” Much like the returning exile, a young boy returns home to share his misfortunes. The 1950’s in Russia were a part of the period known as “The Thaw,” which began in the aftermath of Stalin’s death. Socialist realist paintings that depicted the harsh realities of Russian life began to emerge. Instead of conveying a definitive political message, the style of “Low Marks Again” helps to illustrate the political history of the period. The ambiguities of “Low Marks Again,” and “They Did Not Expect Him” helped to provide more complete pictures of the entire spectrum of Russian political views in the 1950’s and 1880’s respectively. The two images parallel one another in style and composition and ultimately help illustrate the political histories of their corresponding time periods.

1. Jackson, David F. 1998. Inhoudsopgave. Pg. 371.
2. Valkenier, Elizabeth. 1993. The writer as artist’s model: Repin’s portrait of Garshin. Metropolitan Museum Journal. 28:207-216.
3. Valkenier, Elizabeth. 1978. Politics in Russian Art: The Case of Repin. Russian Review. 37 January.