Today, the State Russian Museum exhibition opens Nikolai Nikolaevich Smirnov (1938-2005)

Today in the Stroganov Palace, State Russian Museum presents "Nikolay Smirnov. Eternal Return ».

In the exposition of Nikolai Nikolaevich Smirnov (1938-2005) presents about 30 works from the collection of Leonid Shishkin Gallery (Moscow) and private collections in Russia and foreign countries.

Nikolai Smirnov - truly unique artist. The art historian by training, he began painting professionally at 39 years, creating, in essence, its own direction in art - "historical still-life" or, by definition, the author himself, "a historic theater things." As an artist, he worked as a comparatively short time - just over twenty-five years. During this time he managed to create works by internationally acclaimed and instantly became the subject of collecting. Each picture required enormous time and labor. Smirnov served for a year not more than two works, and some works were created during a half or two years. The technique of his "historical still-life" is similar to wall paintings: they are the basis of a tree, on which is pasted on canvas, covered with gesso. The final image was created with tempera by using thin brushes. The main theme of his work - the history of Russian culture, reflected through the image of things bygone eras.

The exhibition includes early works of Nikolai Smirnov ("Pushkin's page", "Recollections of Pavlovsk"), works of 1990 -s ("Memoirs of Alexander Vertinsky," "Romeo and Juliet", "In memory of Mikhail Kutuzov"), as well as paintings done in the last years of his life.

Channel : press release of the State Russian Museum