They Did Not Expect Him
Ilya Repin · 1888
Why it's great
A thin, tired man walks into a room — he's a returning exile, and his family stares in stunned surprise. Repin painted the faces so carefully that each one tells a story. The picture asks viewers to imagine what happens next. It's one of the best-loved Russian paintings.
Where to see it
📍 State Tretyakov GalleryMoscow, Russia
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Ilya Repin was born in a small town in Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. He trained in Saint Petersburg and traveled to Paris before becoming Russia's most celebrated realist painter. He lived much of his later life in a country house near the Finnish border, now a museum. His huge paintings of people, history, and ordinary life made him a national treasure.
