In 1873 Ilya Repin depicted eleven “Barge Haulers on the Volga” all at the point of collapse. Now they are experiencing a different atmosphere.
“The souls that throng the flood
Are those to whom, by fate, are other bodies ow’d:
In Lethe’s lake they long oblivion taste,
Of future life secure, forgetful of the past.”
The Aeneid by Virgil
Lethe,
Lethe, the River Of Forgetfulness
Lethe is one of the five rivers in the infernal regions. The river flowed around the cave of Hypnos where its murmuring induces drowsiness. It was believed that the newly dead who drank from the River Lethe would lose all memory of their past existence. The shades of the dead were required to drink the waters of the Lethe in order to forget their earthly life.
Theoi Greek Mythology
Barge Haulers on the Volga
Ilya Repin, 1870–73,
Oil on canvas, 131.5 x 281 cm ,
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg ,
The idea for the painting came to him as he was walking along the riverbank and noticed a gang of barge haulers toiling as they passed a group of young people out on a picnic. To explore this theme further he took a boat trip down the Volga River. Although in his early sketches the haulers resemble exploited animals, as he studied their way of life, he began to see them as real people with individual personalities rather than merely caricatures in service of an idea. His cast of characters reflects his determination to create a picture of universal, not just local, significance. All 11 are reflections of Russia itself; and no two are alike. They are men of various ages, physiques, and ethnic backgrounds.
“Russia! A guide to the exhibition for teachers”, Guggenheim Museum, 2005