VERKHOTUROV Nikolai Ivanovich

4 (16) December 1863 (village Monastery near Nerchinsk, Irkutsk province) — 21 февраля 1944 (Moscow)

Painter, graphic artist

Studied in the Nerchinsk religious school. Initial art education has received at Nerchinsk artist П. Н. Рязанцева. Studied in MUZHVZ (1883-1888). In 1889-1901 lived in Irkutsk, where, along with the artist М. А. Рутченко-Короткоручко opened a school of drawing of the society for the promotion of folk education and folk entertainment. He continued his education at the Higher art school of painting, sculpture and architecture under the Imperial Academy of arts (1901-1907), in the Studio И. Е. Репина. In 1907, for the painting "the Dispute about a sign of the cross" was awarded the title of artist.

In early 1910-х traveled to Europe. In 1917-1926 lived in Transbaikalia, from 1926 — in Moscow.

Worked in the field of monumental painting. Oversaw the creation of the iconostasis of the resurrection Church Staroslobodskaya, for which he wrote 48 икон. He served as artistic frieze "the Triumph of Dionysus, or the Birth of theatre" in Yaroslavl city theatre (1909-1911).

Wrote of thematic paintings, landscapes, portraits. Author of painting works: "the Dispute Raskolnikov" (1903), "Propaganda in the working circle", "Chained to the wheelbarrow" (both — 1906), "1905-й year (eyewitness)" (1907), "Listen" (1908), "on the Eve" (1909), "the Calculation (Before the strike)" (1910), "the Apotheosis of the USSR" (1927), "the Last journey of the convicts" (mid 1920-х). Created a series of portraits of "old revolutionaries" — П. А. Кропоткина, Г. В. Плеханова, В. Н. Фигнер.

Member of the all-Russian Congress of artists in St. Petersburg (1911-1912). In the late 1920-1930-х worked in the Polytechnical Museum.

From 1886 — participant of exhibitions (the Moscow school of painting, student). Member associations: "Community of artists" (1910-1917, member-учредитель, member of the Board), the Irkutsk society of artists (1910-1926), Zabaykalsky society of lovers of fine arts in Chita (1919-1921), the Chita society of lovers of fine arts (1919-1921, member-учредитель). Participated in exhibitions of the Moscow society of art lovers (1904), the Spring exhibitions in the halls of the Imperial Academy of arts (1906-1909), Association of artists (1909-1910). Had a solo exhibition in Chita, Verkhneudinsk, Irkutsk (1926-1927, "the power of the Soviets").

he was Buried at Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Work is represented in many Museum collections, among them — of the State Tretyakov gallery, State Russian Museum, State Central Museum of contemporary history of Russia, Irkutsk regional art Museum im. В. П. Сукачева the Chita regional art Museum.

Sources:
1. The state Tretyakov gallery. The collection catalogue. Painting of the first half of the twentieth century. M., 2009, vol. 6, kN. 1. S. 128.
2. State Russian Museum. Painting. The first half of the twentieth century. Directory. St. Petersburg, 1997, vol. 8. S. 113.
3. Kondakov С. Н. List of Russian artists. For the anniversary directory of the Imperial Academy of arts. St. Petersburg, 1914. S. 37.
4. Artists of the peoples of the USSR. Biobibliographic dictionary. M., 1972, vol. 2. S. 248.
5. ru.wikipedia.org.
6. irkipedia.ru.
7. ez.chita.ru.