Brooklyn Museum changes Illia Repin painting label to reflect Ukrainian landscape
The Brooklyn Museum has changed the description of a painting by Illia Repin to reflect that the landscape depicted is Ukrainian, not Russian, art historian Oksana Semenik told Espreso on air on August 1.
The correction is seen as a cultural victory for Ukraine, which has long accused Russia of attempting to erase or appropriate Ukrainian artists, heritage, and cultural symbols — a trend that has intensified since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The updated label replaces the word "Russia" with "Ukraine" for the painting formerly titled Winter Landscape – Russia.
According to Semenik, the canvas portrays his birth city of Chuhuiv in northeastern Ukraine (today's Kharkiv Oblast), and Repin himself identified it as such in his writings.
"In fact, the issue was not only Repin's nationality and identity, but also the fact that this painting is a landscape from Chuhuiv, and Repin himself wrote that it was Chuhuiv," said Semenik. "But for some reason, this American museum listed the title as 'Winter Landscape - Russia.'"
Semenik said the change came after nearly two years of communication with the Brooklyn Museum, starting in 2023. Instead of calling Repin a Russian artist, the label now also omits nationality altogether, listing only his place of birth and death.
"Museums often do this to avoid political conflict," she said. "We discussed the title of this painting for a very long time — communication with them began back in 2023. It took them two years to finally make these changes."
Repin was one of the most prominent painters of the Russian Empire, known for his realistic and psychologically rich portraits, historical scenes, and depictions of everyday life.
Born in Chuhuiv, Repin was deeply influenced by Ukrainian culture and landscapes throughout his life.
Although often labeled a Russian artist due to the imperial context of his time, Repin's identity and work are closely tied to Ukraine.
