“Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan” by Ilya Repin is a powerful and haunting painting. It depicts a moment of horror: Tsar Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) cradling his dying son, whom he has just struck and mortally wounded in a fit of rage. The painting is renowned for its emotional intensity and fine detail, particularly in the expressions of agony and madness on Ivan’s face and the lifeless gaze of his son. Completed in 1885, this work is a prime example of Russian realist painting, reflecting Repin’s skill in portraying dramatic, historical scenes. Interestingly, the painting has been attacked and damaged twice, in 1913 and 2018, due to its controversial portrayal of Russian history, but it has been carefully restored each time.

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