Ilya Repin (1844-1930), one of Russia’s most renowned painters, turned briefly to folklore and fantasy after the success of his painting Barge Haulers on the Volga and in response to his viewing of the Impressionists’ collection in Paris. In the artwork above, he depicted merchant, musician and adventurer Sadko, an East Slavic folklore hero, later also popularised by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in his 1898 opera of the same name. According to the folklore, Sadko of Novgorod got rich after the Sea Tsar heard him play on his gusli musical instrument and was so enchanted that he decided to reward him. In the painting, Repin portrays Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom. The Sea Tsar of the Kingdom demanded that Sadko choose his bride among the presented sea maidens, who each represents different overseas countries. Sadko is seen looking at Chernava, the Sea Tsar’s daughter, instead (pictured near the top of the painting), obviously picking her as his bride, as one of the sea maidens is seen eyeing him slily, obviously being displeased by her potential suitor’s interest in another girl.

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