Jefimowitch Repin was born as the son of a military settler in Tschugujeff in the government of Charkiwllja on 24 July 1844. He was trained as an icon painter since 1857. Repin studied at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg from 1863 to 1871. The painter married Vera Schewzowa in 1872. He joined the artist's society Peretwischniki (=wanderer). Since 1879 he created "Die Verhaftung der Progagandisten", the first large-size versions of "The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan of Turkey" and portraits of famous contemporaries. In 1888 Repin separated from his wife Vera after he had moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Repin built himself an estate in Kuokkaala in Finland which he named Penaten. In company of Tolstoi he engaged against death penalty and stopped teaching. After 1918 Repin was a citizen of Finland. Ilja Repin died and was burried on his estate on 29 September 1930.