Aleksander III receiving rural district elders in the yard of Petrovsky Palace in Moscow 1886

Ilya Repin painted Aleksander III receiving rural district elders in the yard of Petrovsky Palace in Moscow, but the precise date of its making is, as yet, unknown. Here we see the Russian Tsar at the centre of a crowd of people in traditional dress. Consider the cultural references here: the Palace is a symbol of Imperial power, while the elders represent the many regions and ethnic groups of Russia. Repin made this painting in a time of political change in Russia. The Tsarist autocracy was under pressure from reformers and revolutionaries. The figures who surround the Tsar are arranged in such a way as to suggest their collective support for the existing regime, yet the very need to depict this implies a counter-narrative of social unrest. To fully understand this painting, we can consider the socio-political context of late 19th-century Russia, drawing on historical documents and accounts to deepen our knowledge of its culture. The meaning of art can only be understood by examining its social and institutional context.