The model was Sophia Alekseevna Repin, the sister of the artist’s wife. According to the memoirs of L. A. Shevtsova-Spore, the nieces of V. A. Repina, I. Ye. Repin, first portrayed Sofia Alekseevna in a white dress, then rewrote the portrait, changing the clothes to monastic.
Technical and technological research confirms these changes. Sofya Alekseevna was depicted in an open dress with a fan in her hands.
Related Paintings 
Nun – Ilya Repin 
Nun – Ilya Repin 
Surgeon E. V. Pavlov in the operating room by Ilya Repin 
Vera Repin on the bridge in Abramtsevo by Ilya Repin 
Autumn Bouquet (Daughter Vera) by Ilya Repin 
Portrait of V. S. Surikov by Ilya Repin 
Abramtsevo. Summer landscape by Ilya Repin 
On the turf bench by Ilya Repin
Nun – Ilya Repin Nun – Ilya Repin Surgeon E. V. Pavlov in the operating room by Ilya Repin Vera Repin on the bridge in Abramtsevo by Ilya Repin Autumn Bouquet (Daughter Vera) by Ilya Repin Portrait of V. S. Surikov by Ilya Repin Abramtsevo. Summer landscape by Ilya Repin On the turf bench by Ilya Repin