TOW #9: Ivan the Terrible and His Son (Painting)

This picture depicts the aftermath of a heated argument between Ivan the Terrible and his son, Ivan. The argument ends with the father swinging his pointed staff at his son, whereupon his son falls to the ground. Ivan the Terrible immediately drops down to kiss son and attempts to stop the bleeding. The Metropolitan Museum Journal published this painting as a result of an art article created by Elizabeth Valkenier, a member of Columbia University. This painting's purpose seems to be that the painter wants to illustrate Ivan the Terrible's horror at this moment in his life. This painting depicts the tragedy both Ivan the Terrible and his son deal with and the audience, art enthusiasts or anyone capable of appreciating historical paintings, is able to feel that same pain. They are allowed a glimpse of a terrible event and this painting evokes a sense of regret, hopelessness, and excruciating pain from within the audience using pathos. The deep reds and shades of dark colors used help exaggerate the terrible emotions the the subject is feeling. Ivan the Terrible's face is that of sheer fear and regret and this taps into the audience members' own experience with traumatic events. Ilya Repin, the painter, effectively conveys multiple emotions through a poignant painting; the audience members are truly able to experience these feelings, almost as if they are there, witnessing the death of Ivan the Terrible's son.