Ilya Repin was a brilliant portraitist and "painter of the Russian soul." He lived at a time of great changes in Russian history — from the abolition of serfdom to the coming to power of the Bolsheviks. These events undoubtedly influenced his work, because in his paintings the realist artist sought to reflect the individual character of the era."My Delights" is a collection of autobiographical essays about "how the boy Repin first awakened an attraction to art, under what influence, in what environment he studied his skills in the provinces and at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and how he painted the paintings that gave him All—Russian fame."The book also contains articles by the artist about famous figures of Russian literature and art. Thanks to Repin's mastery of dialogue, his contemporaries, friends and colleagues appear before us as if alive.The publication is supplemented with original sketches and paintings by the artist.