Portrait of Vasily Samoylov was painted by Ivan Kramskoi in 1881, during the mature period of the artist’s career. The work is an oil on canvas portrait measuring 100 by 79 cm. It depicts Vasiliy Samoylov, a prominent actor of nineteenth-century Russia, and was created at a time when Kramskoi was recognized for his psychological approach to portraiture. The composition presents Samoylov standing against a deep reddish-brown background, with his body turned slightly to one side and his left hand resting on a piece of furniture.

He wears a dark velvet jacket over a white ruffled shirt, and a gold watch chain hangs from his neck. Light falls from the left, illuminating the sitter’s face and emphasizing his expressive features, white hair, and pointed beard. The brushwork is precise in the rendering of facial details and textures of fabric, with a restrained color palette that focuses attention on the subject’s character. The painting is part of the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, where it is held under inventory number 678.

There is no documented evidence of a specific commission or early provenance for this portrait, but it has been associated with the gallery’s holdings since the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The work is notable within Kramskoi’s oeuvre for its directness and the subtle psychological insight conveyed in the depiction of its sitter.