Not so long ago I've heard an interesting opinion that if you ask a foreigner and a Russian to name some Russian painters or artists you'll get almost opposite results. A foreigner will almost certainly mention Kandinsky (the founder of abstract art) and similar XX century artists, an average Russian most likely will name Repin, Shishkin or other artists from 17-19th centuries who worked in a realistic manner. In Russian sources they are often labeled as great Russian painters, but I wonder how many people abroad (who do not know much about art) have heard of them?

So I decided to start an art thread. I'm going to post some famous paintings and drawings (or just something I like) and some facts to make it more interesting.
Feel free to comment. I hope it will not turn into total bore.

I'll start with Ivan Shishkin, who was one of the most famous Russian landscape painters.