ILYA REPIN (1844-1930) Vera. Portrait of the artist's future wife, 1867. signed in Cyrillic 'I Repin' (lower right) and dated '30 dekabria 1867' (centre right), inscribed in another hand in Finnish (verso) pencil on paper 35.4 x 27 cm (view) Executed in 1867 EXHIBITED : Ilya Repin - Artist of the month', Turku Art Museum, 1977. Ilya Repin', Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki, 7 November - 14 December 1980. Great Russian Masters', Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki, 29 June - 1 October 1995. Russian Masters - From Aivazovsky to Repin', Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Helsinki, 12 February - 8 May 2016, and Tikanoja Art Museum, Vaasa, 20 May - 25 September 2016. LITERATURE: Valdemar Melanko, ' Ilja Repin - The Past Close at Hand ', WSOY 1970, p. 152. Executed on 30 December 1867, when Repin was 23 and Vera Shevtsova just 14, this early drawing offers a charming glimpse into the early relationship between Ilya Repin and his future wife. At the time, Vera was just a friend and frequent model - the youngest daughter of the academic architect Aleksey Shevtsov (c.1815-after 1869), to whose house Repin was a regular guest in the 1860s. In 1872, Repin and Vera married. Over the years, Vera would become both muse and central figure in Repin's life and work. Although modest in size, the drawings radiate warmth and sensitivity. Repin's light, confident pencil strokes delicately capture Vera's face. She sits with her arms slightly crossed, looking away from the viewer, her features rendered with a striking mixture of precision and gentleness. More than a likeness, Repin seems to be revealing her character. This portrait captures a quiet and meaningful moment, hinting at the deep, personal and creative bond that would later unite them. At the buyer's request, we are happy to provide a general condition report for the lot described above. However, as we are not professional curators or conservators, we strongly advise prospective buyers to carry out their own inspection or consult a specialist or conservator of their choice for a full professional assessment. Descriptions of the condition of objects in the catalogue or in any correspondence are given for guidance only and should not be regarded as a substitute for a first-hand valuation. ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD 'AS IS' IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE