ILYA REPIN - IVAN THE TERRIBLE AND HIS SON, 1885
Ivan is shown cradling his dying son in his arms while he lies in shock, a victim of overwhelming anger. Ivan’s terrified look sharply contrasts with his son’s calm, almost Christlike demeanor. The artwork illustrates the moment following tsar Ivan murdering his son in a fit of anger.
In 1581, Ivan might have caused a miscarriage by striking his pregnant daughter-in-law for her inappropriate attire. Upon discovering this, his eldest son, also named Ivan, engaged in a heated argument with his father. Consequently, Ivan hit his son in the head with his sharp staff, leading to his son’s death.
This artwork has been vandalised on two occasions so far. The first incident took place in 1913, when icon artist Abram Balashov, at the age of 29, made three significant cuts into the section of the artwork depicting the faces of Ivan and his son. “Enough of the death, enough of the bloodshed!” he said as he did this. Fortunately, Repin was somehow able to restore it.
The second case of vandalism happened on May 25, 2018, over a century later. Five minutes prior to the exhibition closing, a man rushed into the Tretyakov hall where the artwork was showcased and smashed the piece with a metal pole intended to hold the protective rope that had been surrounding it. The shattered glass that encased the painting damaged both the canvas and the frame. On this occasion, the faces of Ivan and his son were unharmed.
The artwork is undoubtedly among the most renowned from Russia, brimming with emotions and intricate details. Even though Ivan has blood on his hands, it almost appears that he is trying to stem the flow or care for the injury. It is incredibly remarkable how Repin utilized only paint and a canvas to illustrate Ivan's sorrow, madness, terror, and despair in his eyes; they are genuinely haunting.