Portrait of the historian and archaeologist Ivan Egorovich Zabelin

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called "Portrait of Ivan Egorovich Zabelin," and it's super old – it was painted way back in 1877! Does anyone know what year it is now? That's right, it's a very, very old painting! nn This painting is like a photograph, but it's made with paint! The artist, Ilya Repin, was super talented. He painted a man named Ivan Zabelin. Ivan was a really smart guy who studied history and old things. Look how big the painting is! It's almost as tall as [mention something relatable to the children's height, e.g., "two of you standing on top of each other!"]. Isn't that amazing? nn

Look closely at Ivan Zabelin. See his long, white beard? And his thoughtful face? He looks like he's thinking about something really interesting, doesn't he? What do you think he's thinking about? Maybe he's thinking about all the cool history books he's read! He's sitting at his desk, surrounded by lots and lots of books. Can you see them? He must have loved to read! nn

The artist used lots of dark colors, like browns and grays. But see how he used light and shadow to make Ivan's face look real? It's like he's looking right at us! The artist was really good at showing how things feel – the softness of his beard, the smoothness of his skin. What do you think the artist used to make the painting look so realistic? nn

This painting isn't just a picture of a man; it's a story about a very important person who loved history. It shows us what his life was like. It's like a window into the past! Isn't it wonderful that we can see this painting and learn about Ivan Zabelin and the artist who painted him? What do you think is the most interesting part of this painting? nn

This painting is kept safe in a special place called the Tretyakov Gallery. It's like a giant house for art! They keep it safe so that we and many others can see it for many, many years to come. Isn't that great? Now, let's go look at some more amazing art!