Nesterenko Vasily Igorevich artist of the painting. The walls of the Manege have caved in: a strange exhibition of artist Vasily Nesterenko

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Vasily Nesterenko - to the enemies of Russia
Moscow hosts an exhibition of the famous artist “Syrian Land”

A true artist, a master of his craft, no, no, and he will surprise even his longtime admirers who know his style and genres well. So is the painter Vasily Nesterenko at the end of the year he made his viewers gasp in surprise and smile. Also, incl.

Vasily Nesterenko. "Letter to Russia's enemies"

And today, after another century and a half, we see the same plot in a painting by a modern Russian artist, only instead of the Koshe chieftain and his Cossacks, the army of Rus' from the 21st century is depicted on canvas.

The appearance of the poet and his wife at the exhibition became a real sensation then. Having learned that Pushkin was in the Antique Gallery, the students of the Academy, including nineteen-year-old Aivazovsky, rushed there.

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Looking at the monumental painting by Vasily Nesterenko, you feel the scorching Syrian sun and hear thunderous laughter. An indestructible force emanates from her. Before us is the great Russian army, resurrected as if from oblivion after the “reforms” of recent decades...

“The theme of Russian military history occupies a significant part in my work,” says the artist in an interview with the Zavtra newspaper. – My paintings are dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo, the victories of Peter, the time of deliverance from the Time of Troubles, the First World War and the Great Patriotic War... But there were no works dedicated to the modern Russian army. And I thought: where, if not in Syria, can I find those stories that will help me explore this topic.”

In May of this year, Vasily went on a business trip to the Syrian Arab Republic, made several trips around the country, and visited garrisons. When asked about his main impression, he replies: “Our army, our valiant warriors - both officers and privates of various branches of the military - all this is one big friendly family, that’s the feeling I got. And, of course, all of them are truly the elite of our Armed Forces. The army has very strict discipline, everyone is not just smart, but extremely focused. But even in conditions of such discipline there is room for the manifestation of the warmest, friendly feelings. In a short time I made so many friends there, it’s incredible!”

Well, the whole world today gazes in amazement at Russian pilots and marines, sappers and special forces, who in Syria, in confrontation with well-trained professional mercenaries, showed both the ability to deliver crushing sniper blows and the willingness, if necessary, to sacrifice their lives by calling fire on themselves ...

Look at my fighters
The whole world remembers them by sight.
Here the battalion froze in formation,
I recognize old friends again...

Those who have visited Syria note the high spirit of the soldiers; they understand: this is the defense of the Motherland on the distant approaches.

Presenting new works from the “Syrian Land” series, Vasily Nesterenko spoke with bitterness that the heavenly biblical country, in the old days so prestigious for travel among our fellow citizens, now lies in ruins, has become the “Syrian Stalingrad”...

At the opening of the exhibition, People's Artist of Russia Mikhail Ivanovich Nozhkin, Vasily’s longtime friend, noted: we are present at a historical event. Years will pass, but the painting “Letter to Russia’s Enemies” will remain. An artist who has all the highest honorary titles, an academician, could rest on his laurels, but he goes on a very risky business trip through the Ministry of Defense. The courage and high skill of their colleague and comrade were paid tribute in their speeches by two of the largest contemporary creators of Russian art - the painter Dmitry Belyukin and sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov.

Well, the past year has truly become a triumphant one for Vasily Nesterenko. In February, he celebrated his 50th anniversary with an exhibition in the main exhibition hall of Russia. The shining palace of the Manege was filled with his paintings and their admirers. The multi-meter scale of the canvases, the brilliance of colors and images stunned even sophisticated viewers. More than a thousand paintings! Russian history appears epoch by epoch. Portraits, landscapes brought from many countries. The huge face of Christ...

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The exhibition was visited by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', and many priests, military men, politicians, and artists visited the exhibition. There were many rave reviews.

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I remembered then in the Manege meeting Vasily in the early 1990s in the workshop of the leader of painters of his generation - the unforgettable Sergei Prisekin... Both Prisekin and others predicted a great future for Nesterenko. But still, few could have foreseen what kind of phenomenon the young artist’s talent would develop into. His creative power and efficiency are amazing. At the opening of the exhibition in the Manege, a monk from Athos told how Vasily Nesterenko worked, painting the temple of St. the great martyr and healer Panteleimon in Stary Rusika - several months in Spartan conditions, from early morning until late evening. And before that there was many years of colossal work in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, painting of several more churches, the Throne Hall of the Jerusalem Patriarchate...

The “dashing” 1990s were a time of huge losses and lost talent. Gifted, educated artists used to spend big money decorating the interiors of villas and mansions...

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In 2005, Nesterenko painted one of his best works - the portrait “Unconquered”. Before us is a front-line soldier, Marine Yuri Fomichev, a powerful, tall old man in the uniform of a chief sergeant major, with the Order of the Red Banner and other military awards on his chest. The icy wind of hard times pierces him through, his gaze is exhausted, but adamant. He also looked through the sights near Moscow and Stalingrad. He also looks into the eyes of the authors of numerous “icebreakers”, the slanderers of the Great Patriotic War...

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Since the early 1990s, I remember “Still Life with Art Attributes,” painted by Vasily in New York. In the center of the picture, on the artist’s table, is a sculptural figure, bent in thought... Outside the window is a recognizable line of skyscrapers with the twin towers blown up a few years later. Nesterenko, the best student at the Surikov Institute, was sent, the only one from the Union, to an internship at the Pratt Art Institute. And managed to conquer America! Let us remember that Vasily, before being accepted into the Russian Union of Artists, was already a member of the prestigious American League of Professional Artists; his first personal exhibition was held at the Citi Bank Gallery in the same “city of the yellow devil.” Here he not only learned about American realities, but also met a Russian exile, a 96-year-old student of I.E. Repin by the famous artist M.A. Verbov... Many then rushed to the States, ready for literally anything. But Nesterenko chose his own path. As the philosopher D. Santayana wrote: “A person must grow with his feet into the soil of his homeland, but let his eyes survey the whole world.”

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I love the painting “Roofs of Zamoskvorechye”, which Vasily and I viewed when I was preparing my first publication about him after he brilliantly defended his diploma “Triumph of the Russian Fleet” at the Surikov Institute. I would like to note that the now famous painter remained, more than twenty years later, just as easy to communicate with, unimpressive, and unbronzed.

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“Portrait of a Russian Officer (V. Maksimov)” is magnificent. It depicts our mutual friend, an expert on the Petrine era, a rare ascetic Volodya Maksimov. This is someone who can rightfully be called a true warrior of the Spirit.

Vasily Nesterenko reminds: “Now it’s easy to be a patriot. All are patriots. Even those who are not patriots are still patriots. But the one who really deserves respect is the one who went through that wild time, who did not give up his positions, who preserved, so to speak, his Russian spirit.”

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“We will defend Sevastopol” - this canvas, painted for the 150th anniversary of the famous defense in 2005, soon became a picturesque epigraph to the “Russian Spring” of 2014. The picture was placed on billboards and hovered over Crimean roads. All of Russia in this canvas by Nesterenko is a bastion that holds a perimeter defense over the smoke and roar of battles. Vladimir Maksimov is posing again in the foreground - here he is a gunner calibrating the sight of a gun.

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And here is “Attack of the Dead,” written by the artist not so long ago, dedicated to the defense of the Osowiec fortress in the First World War. After the gas attack, only 56 people survived. The German division in gas masks moved to “clean up”, to finish off the poisoned. But from this child, spitting out their own lungs, a handful of Russians launched a final counterattack. The shocked Germans fled in horror...

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It is also worth saying that the artist’s thoughtfulness and churchgoing allow him to see more deeply the essence of what is happening in the world and in Russia. It was not for nothing that on his anniversary in the Manege he stood in front of the huge canvas “Deliverance from the Time of Troubles.” What does he talk about in his speeches today? About the need to overcome the split in society, about the tragic events in Ukraine (Vasily is a native of Pavlograd, southern Donbass), about threats to the only Russian art education that has survived in the world...

According to Vasily Nesterenko, “the fighting spirit is there, it is felt, and military operations in Syria are one of the symbols of the revival of the army, of Russia. But I think the peak of the spirit is ahead...”
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The exhibition “Syrian Land” runs until December 17 at the branch of the Moscow State Art Gallery of Vasily Nesterenko in the exhibition hall “Chekhov’s House” (Malaya Dmitrovka, 29, p. 4).

Vasily Igorevich Nesterenko was born in 1967 in Pavlograd, Ukraine. In 1980 he entered the Moscow Secondary Art School at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. V.I. Surikov to the painting department - after training in the workshop of People's Artist of Russia N.S. Prisekin. In June 1985 he graduated from the Moscow Secondary Art School with a gold medal. From December 1985 to October 1987 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army. From 1987 to 1994 he studied at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. V. I. Surikova. Workshop of the People's Artist of the USSR, academician T. T. Salakhov. Teachers: prof. L. V. Shepelev, prof. S. N. Shilnikov, prof. N. P. Hristolyubov, prof. E. N. Troshev. Since the fall of 1988, active creative activity.

The turn of the XX-XXI centuries is a complex historical era that brings to life new artistic movements, directions, and values. The work of the Moscow painter Vasily Nesterenko is inseparable from its time. He is one of those masters who introduces Russian art into the new century.

Excellent academic preparation, deep sensitivity to modernity, and rare diligence helped Nesterenko rapidly enter the artistic life of the country. He quickly achieves independence, maturity of style, and receives wide recognition. Possessing a significant creative range, he paints portraits, landscapes, large historical canvases, and religious compositions.

Artistic understanding of the changes in the spiritual life of society and profound changes in the worldview are embodied in a series of paintings dedicated to trips to holy places, in the painting of icons, in the creation of portraits of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, Patriarch of Jerusalem Diodorus and other clergy.

The main theme of his historical paintings is the affirmation of the individual, his active creative beginning. In his art, Nesterenko often refers to the era of reforms of Peter I, introducing various historical subjects into his paintings: “Triumph of the Russian Fleet”, “Moscow meets the heroes of Poltava”.

The basis of Nesterenko’s artistic method as a portrait painter is a deep study of nature, the nature of the human being. His portraits are remarkable for their sharpness in conveying character. With special warmth, the artist reveals the spiritual value of the models. In his portraits of women, he is a subtle lyricist, creating bright and harmonious images.

Landscape is of great importance in his work. The image of nature is heard in the ensemble of historical paintings, in portraiture and is fully revealed in the artist’s landscape works. He travels a lot around Russia and does not part with his sketchbook on trips to Europe and America.

Vasily Nesterenko’s real creative success was his participation in recreating the picturesque decoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. This most complex work required not only the highest professional skill, but also the ability to work in the manner of the greatest painters of the 19th century.

The multi-figure gospel scenes performed by Nesterenko: “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem”, “The Resurrection of Christ”, “The Apostle Matthew”, “The Baptism of the Lord” are located in the most important, central part of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

A special place in the artist’s work is occupied by his work in the Patriarchal Refectory of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. With the blessing of the Patriarch, the artist performs five Gospel scenes: “The Last Supper”, “Marriage in Cana of Galilee”, “The Miraculous Multiplication of the Loaves”, “The Miraculous Catch”, “Christ and the Samaritan Woman”.

The work of the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts Vasily Igorevich Nesterenko invariably attracts the attention of numerous viewers. His works can be seen in museums and at major domestic and foreign exhibitions. He works a lot, is full of new creative ideas, and has new canvases in his studio.

Vasily Igorevich NESTERENKO: interview

Vasily Igorevich NESTERENKO (born 1967)- People's Artist of the Russian Federation, full member of the Russian Academy of Arts: | | | .

“IN THE CIRCLE OF MY ACQUAINTANCES THERE ARE NO PEOPLE SPOILED BY FAME”

I interviewed the People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Vasily Igorevich Nesterenko... under a tree. We agreed to meet at Chistye Prudy - there are benches there, it’s cozy and quiet. Alas, it didn’t work out - just at that moment landscaping work was underway on the ponds. Without hesitation, we bypassed all the barriers and finally made our way to the green piece in the center. I hung my bag on a tree branch, prepared a voice recorder and asked:

- Nothing, what’s wrong?
- Come on! So everything is simple, in nature...

Vasily Igorevich is an unusually smiling, simple and open person. Yes, and of course, very busy. But he answers all my questions without haste, explaining what is not clear, and somehow very sincerely, cordially...

So, in a simple way, we talked in nature. As I said goodbye, I thought that when I next get to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, I will look at some of the paintings with completely different eyes. On the painting of Vasily Igorevich.

Interviewed by Elena KOROVINA

- Vasily Igorevich, how did you become an artist?
- I loved art since childhood. Art is like a disease. Many do not become infected. Many of those who become infected recover sooner or later. And only a few “get sick” all their lives. So I am one of those who have been infected for life. And the question of where to go to study never really arose for me - from the age of nine I knew that I would be an artist. And life flowed somehow calmly, confidently. I became involved in art quite early. First there were exhibitions at the school where I studied, then - exhibitions in the Manege and the Central House of Artists. I graduated from art school, then the Surikov Institute, then there was an internship in the USA, a thesis... And in parallel with this - personal exhibitions in Russia and abroad: in Japan, the USA.

In early childhood I lost my father, my mother raised me. At first she was not very supportive of my desire to become an artist, knowing how difficult it was. Now I understand her perfectly. For parents who doubt whether to dedicate their child to art, I always advise reading Emile Zola’s novel “Creativity”. The novel makes you think about the complexity of this path. My mother was very afraid that I wouldn’t stand it and would break. And then, seeing my perseverance and great desire, she began to support me. And now she is my closest and best adviser.

- I know that in the early 1990s you were offered to stay and work in the USA. Why didn't you agree?
- I was born in Russia, I am a Russian person and could not live away from my homeland. Exhibitions abroad - yes, good, thank God. But staying in a foreign country - it seems to me that it is not easy, it means ruining your life. Read the memoirs of our emigrants about Russia - Shmeleva: such deep sadness about the lost Motherland! No, it’s very difficult to live in a foreign land.

- But you still joined the American League of Professional Artists...
- While in America, I met Repin’s student Mikhail Aleksandrovich Verbov. He was 96 years old at that time. We communicated with Mikhail Alexandrovich for three years - he did not live a year before his 100th birthday. He was an honorary member of the American League of Artists, and once, when my exhibition was held in the USA (I was a student at that time), artists from the league visited it. This was my test of strength, I was appreciated and accepted.

- Have you ever doubted the correctness of your choice?
- On the contrary, it strengthened. There is a lot that doesn’t suit me in modern life, in the country, in culture, in art. And I’m not going to passively wait for this negativity to touch my children like a black wing, I want to fight it. My weapons are a brush and a palette. And that doesn't mean much. In Sevastopol in 2005, an action was held to mark the 150th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol. Engels can only find negative reviews about the defense of this glorious city, about the Russian Empire and the army. Soviet historiography picked up this review, schools forgot about Sevastopol, and in the end it turned out: we know nothing about this battle, where more than a million people died. Can you imagine how important and relevant this is now - to convey to our people, to our consciousness, the greatness and power of Russia. For this event, I painted the painting “Let’s Defend Sevastopol” (canvas 300 x 515. -Ed.). For me it sounds like “We will defend Moscow, we will defend Russia!” During an exhibition at the Sevastopol Art Museum, I saw a fragment of this painting placed on advertising billboards, at the airport and train stations in Simferopol and Sevastopol, and on the highways of the southern coast of Crimea. People accepted the picture with all their hearts, caught the mood and supported it.

- Now in Russia there are probably not many true connoisseurs of art...
- No, no, I think in Russia people really love and understand art. Often in their own way, ineptly, clumsily - but they love them very much! I once even saw a full-chest tattoo with a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “Benois Madonna.” What is it? Love for art in such a unique form. Ask any Russian person on the street who Aivazovsky, Surikov, Repin are, everyone will answer you, everyone knows them, well, at least they know the fact that they are Russian artists. But in Europe this is more difficult. I know firsthand: ask an ordinary European who Magritte, Renoir, Bruegel is, you won’t get an answer.

- Would you like your children to also devote their lives to art? Do you see them as artists?
- My children are still very small. I don't know which path they will choose. But if they choose the path of serving the Fatherland in the field of art, I will only assist them. If they don’t want to, I will try to instill in them a love of art in any case.

- What does your wife think about this?
- My wife Olya is always there, she always supports me in everything. She is my main assistant.

- I have always been interested in the question: why are there so few women artists?
- Because this is a very difficult path, I repeat. There are so few artists not because women lack talent and abilities, but because a woman’s life itself is aimed at something else. It is especially difficult for her to give up everything and live for art. This is the case when a profession becomes a way of life. Not every artist can withstand this and remain true to her path until the end of her life.

- What is closer to you - landscapes, portraits, gospel stories?
- I can’t say that something is closer to me. The Lord gave me the opportunity to see everything, to depict everything, even something abstract. All paintings are the fruit of inspiration. I especially like to depict something that goes a little beyond the boundaries of painting. How, for example, can you show the weight of wet snow on the branches, the rustle of falling leaves? When this can be transferred to canvas, it is a real success. Just as in a portrait, the main thing is to show the soul of a person, and issues of similarity will fade into the background. Everything can be interesting - both landscape and portrait.

I really love variety in my work. There are artists who paint still lifes all their lives. That's all. I find it a little boring. Or nudity all the time. One exhibition, a second, a third - and nudes everywhere. It’s beautiful, of course, but I also want to finally see the dressed person in the picture. Let everything be different, the main thing is that in any picture there is you, your style. Diversify your creativity without betraying yourself. But the variety of interests should not be coupled with the desire to adapt to the needs of the time: sweet, glamorous, otherwise they will not appreciate it.

I painted many churches: the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov, the Assumption Church in Domnino - the Romanov family estate, I painted the Throne Hall of the Patriarch of Jerusalem in Jerusalem. I am interested in painting pictures on historical themes, landscapes, portraits. But, especially in the portrait genre, I am concerned with the question “Who is the hero of our time?” Once upon a time it was Onegin and Pechorin, but who now? Of course, heroes are different for all people. And I wouldn’t want the majority to be heroes of some “House-2”. They tell me: “Yes, you know, now young people are raised this way, they have different values.” This is how we raise them! We! We have all the responsibility, and everything depends on us!

- Who is the hero of our time for you?
- You can look at my portrait paintings and get an answer. These are both people not known to a wide circle - just my acquaintances - and quite famous personalities. For example, the great Russian singer Irina Arkhipova or the famous actor Vasily Lanovoy. For me, they are all heroes of my time. I’m trying to get to know them from the inside, because to paint a portrait, it’s not enough just to have talent, you have to make friends with the person, feel his soul, otherwise nothing will work out.

You have met many famous people - in your opinion, does fame spoil them? How to protect yourself from star fever?
- Take the middle path, somehow hold on. After all, you can fall into the trap of fame - and end up not as an artist or performer, but as an official, the chairman of some foundation. It's like a chain reaction. And creativity will be killed. But you can always have the soul of a child, like Lanovoy - he is always simple, open, despite his nationwide fame. I’m probably lucky: among my friends there are no people spoiled by fame.

So how do celebrities differ from ordinary mortals, in your opinion?
- It's difficult to answer. On the one hand, they are easy to communicate, they are the same as everyone else, but on the other hand, you feel that they are somewhat different. They are creative and have a young soul. Let's return to the same Verbov, Repin's student - all of New York knew him, and he simply said to me, a student: “I have done a new work, let's go see what you have to say.” Simplicity is what distinguishes truly great, famous people. There are not many artists among artists who can sincerely rejoice at the success of their young colleagues. This skill is also, in my opinion, a sign of a truly talented, famous person. Fame shouldn't spoil it. It should be a stimulus - higher, further, deeper. After all, you can simply achieve success and stop there. That's all. The result will be stagnation and a gradual decline in creativity.

- If a person dreams of fame, is it good or bad?
- Of course, it’s good, because this dream is the main incentive. Many great Russian people dreamed of this: Suvorov and Ushakov, Bryullov and Repin - and they deservedly received it. And through their glory they elevated Russia. It is also important to decide what kind of fame you dream of and why. I try to charge with my creativity only goodness. And in our time, getting such fame with all your professionalism and talent is more difficult than the fame of a brawler. There is such an avant-garde artist Oleg Kulik, who at exhibitions jumps out on all fours naked and bites the legs of visitors. His cows with video under their tails, a bust of Tolstoy in chicken droppings and with live chickens around are known... Kulik is a rather famous character. So there is such glory. Preserving the traditions of Russian art is more difficult; it is much easier to attract attention like this, with outrageousness.

- Who is your role model in your work?
- I will not name contemporary artists, although I will make a reservation right away - there are such. I tried to learn from all the great painters - Kuindzhi, Ivanov, Nesterov, Vasnetsov, Michelangelo, Van Dyck...

- Do you feel famous?
- Many people know my work... But I don’t want to call myself famous. Once on television I saw a reproduction of my painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet,” which is located in Moscow in the Museum of the Armed Forces. The story was about Vladikavkaz. Who made it happen that she got into the program there? I have never been to North Ossetia. Nice? Of course it's nice. You can, of course, start talking about copyright infringement, but is that what we’re talking about when such recognition of you as an artist occurs?

-Have you felt for yourself what the temptation of fame means?
- This doesn’t happen to me often. Yes, at exhibitions, when I am surrounded by the press, television, when people come up to me for an autograph, it is, of course, very pleasant. But it also comes with a huge sense of responsibility. I'm also always afraid of offending someone. A man came up to me with a piece of an invitation card, asked for an autograph, asked to take a photo, and at that time I was busy - an interview or just a conversation with a guest... It’s impossible to refuse: the person came on purpose, maybe it took a long time to get there, maybe he took time off from work - I don’t have right to offend him, ask him to wait. We have to keep up with everything.

- Weren’t you afraid to take on the painting of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior? What difficulties did you encounter?
- There were a lot of difficulties. The burden of responsibility is simply colossal. I spent several years working in this temple. In the temple there are four of my paintings, four icons of the Mother of God, a Shroud for the main altar, five paintings of Gospel scenes in the Patriarch’s refectory and ten views of monasteries in the antechamber of the hall of Church Councils. I did the murals and paintings alone, without assistants - it was incredibly difficult: in the 19th century it took ten years to paint the temple, but we painted it in seven and a half months. How were we able to do this? I don't know, it's a miracle. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was painted by those artists who sincerely wanted it, those who wanted to leave their mark, who wanted to join this greatest, fantastic event. And it was a great honor for all of us. At one time, Alexander Ivanov dreamed of painting the temple - he, Ivanov, was not allowed! And I was lucky enough to work in the temple, restoring two paintings by Semiradsky, two paintings by Sorokin - famous masters of the 19th century! It was an unforgettable dialogue with famous artists of that time. When I encountered temple painting, I discovered so many new paths for myself, so many sensations - a whole world that enriched my life, my palette. So we will never forget this work in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

- You had many exhibitions. Was there any that stood out to you? And why?
- Probably in the Big Manege, in February 2004. When I was preparing this exhibition, I tried not to drive past the Manege - this long row of columns had a depressing effect on me. It seemed to me that nothing would work out for me. But the exhibition took place, and what a show!

- Do you have a favorite painting from your works?
- Eat. Still unwritten.

- And from those written?
- "Alone with myself". You can look on my website. It depicts a hero of our time, my time, - an ordinary monk, an ordinary person, but living an unusual life, incomprehensible to us. As long as there are such people in Russia, Russia will live. Or the painting “Unconquered”. I tried to say something new about the war, and it seems to me that I succeeded.

- What is the worst thing for you in your work?
“What I’m most afraid of is not meeting people’s expectations.” The worst thing is to hear: “Your paintings are bad. We came to you, and you put forward some nonsense.” Thank God, this didn’t happen to me, but everything is very unpredictable in the art world. You can work all your life, paint pictures, and then, at the end of your life, they will tell you: “All this is outdated, nothing interesting.” Let us remember Alexander Ivanov, who wrote “The Appearance of Christ to the People.” Bryullov was a little luckier - he managed to die before they began to forget him, and Ivanov learned during his lifetime what it meant to be an outcast. Rembrandt was forgotten for 200 years! Aivazovsky was pecked both during his life and after his death. And how many such examples! It's hard to be talented and famous. Glory is glory, and often it causes insomnia and heaviness in the soul. So it is unknown what and how it will turn out. How can you revel in fame when, perhaps tomorrow they will say that you were born in vain?

D. O. Shvidkovsky

Vasily Nesterenko's artistic talent is multifaceted and his work is extensive - church paintings and historical paintings, portraits of the clergy and lyrical female images, landscapes and still lifes, works painted in oil and watercolor, graphic sheets made in charcoal and pencil. He is equally successful in small sketches and multi-meter canvases, intimate images of nature and philosophical works of the most complex composition and figurative structure. His paintings reflect many aspects of our lives, penetrate into the depths of history, make us empathize with the tragedies of the past and the exploits of our predecessors, and join in the prayer ministry of the Church Fathers. The viewer's feelings are inspired by individual works of the master, as well as series of paintings, and entire exhibitions united by the ideas of goodness, love and reconciliation.

Traveling through the pages of this album, we live together with the artist his life, full of impressions from the beauty of his native nature, creative meetings with his contemporaries, and numerous trips around the world. We can remember the glorious pages of history: the era of Peter the Great with his triumphs and battles, travel back to the 19th century and visit the redoubts and bastions of besieged Sevastopol, find yourself in the Holy places where prayer books of the Russian Church labored for centuries, and finally get under the arches of the Temple of Christ Savior and see murals and paintings telling about the events of the Gospel story.

Getting acquainted with the artist’s works, we are immersed in the world of painting, where we can see exquisite play of color, subtle combinations of close tones, and active color strokes made with a confident brush. The richness of texture distinguishes most of the artist’s works - this is a smooth surface, achieved by barely noticeable glazes, allowing one to simulate the subtlest changes in shape, and an expressive body layer, obtained with a wide brush or palette knife, capable of highlighting critical places in the picture, revealing and emphasizing the tangibility of objects. The coloring of the master's paintings is varied - from restrained and light to bright and rich. His creative arsenal includes almost all the technical means and techniques developed by many generations of artists.

For Vasily Nesterenko, there are no subjects that are inaccessible; with equal success he completes a small watercolor portrait, a monumental oil painting, and a colossal wall painting. When working on a landscape, the artist strives to convey effects that lie beyond the scope of painting: the smell of an autumn forest, the rustle of leaves, the heaviness of wet snow or the sound of the sea. By creating a portrait, he penetrates into the soul of a person, depicting the inner world, and not just an external resemblance. The mood evoked by the painting immediately awakens the viewer’s response and makes him empathize with the feelings and thoughts of the artist.

The theme of serving people, a sincere desire to make the lives of contemporaries better and cleaner, a call to look around and love the world around us runs through all of Vasily Nesterenko’s work. The artist completely devoted his life to art in the highest sense of the word, which includes professional dedication to his favorite work, selfless creative work, and loyalty to once chosen ideals.

We can say that the work of Vasily Nesterenko is encyclopedic in its breadth and diversity. The purpose of this album is an attempt to collect most of the artist’s works on the pages of one publication, to arrange them in such a way as to most fully express the meaning of his creative quest.

We will try to trace the artist’s creative path, the stages of his formation, and also tell who his teachers were, in what environment he was brought up, which allowed him to rise to the heights of professional excellence and receive well-deserved recognition.

Vasily Igorevich Nesterenko was born in 1967 in Ukraine. Childhood impressions will remain an important source of inspiration in his future creative life. The endless fields of Ukraine, huge pyramidal poplars over the boundless Dnieper, weeping willows bending over a quiet pond and the bright picturesque nature of Crimea with fantastic piles of rocks near the shore of the Black Sea - this is where his talent as an artist first manifested itself, sometimes still timidly, but already quite clearly. Seeing in him a penchant for drawing, his parents encouraged him to study.

The entire subsequent life of Vasily Nesterenko is connected with Moscow. Having entered the Moscow Secondary Art School at the Surikov Institute, he became involved in creativity forever. School exams became the first test for the young artist. Having passed a tough competition - fifteen people per place - he found himself in the world of professional art, in the alma mater of many Russian painters and sculptors.

Passing the exams was preceded by serious preparatory work in the Studio named after M.B. Grekov, in the workshop of the People's Artist of Russia, State Prize laureate N.S. Prisekin. A famous battle painter, the author of many dioramas, he was working at that moment on the monumental painting “Battle of Kulikovo”. Vasily, painting educational still lifes in watercolor, dreamed of large canvases, looked at it as a miracle when, under the hand of a master, figures come to life on the canvas, life appears seemingly out of nothing.

In an atmosphere of rising interest in Soviet society in Russian culture, the creative development of Vasily Nesterenko began. The young painter read books on the history of Russian and world art and, together with his comrades from art school, discovered the poetry of ancient churches and monasteries, admired Stozharov’s still lifes, paintings by Plastov and other classics of realistic art. He spent every break in the Tretyakov Gallery, located opposite the school, studied the works of Surikov, Repin, Levitan, could not move away from the painting “The Appearance of Christ to the People” by Alexander Ivanov, and gradually became familiar with the spiritual beauty of ancient Russian painting.

Several generations of artists passed through the walls of the legendary school on Lavrushinsky Lane. In its corridors at that time there hung a lot of educational works, which in their skill were not inferior to the works of venerable artists. It was a real school of art, preserving pre-revolutionary traditions, carefully carried by teachers and students through many decades. One of the main traditions of the school was the spirit of competition. They learned not only from teachers, but also from the works of great Russian artists and from their fellow students, zealously noting successful places in a drawing or effectively written details of a training setting. It was considered shameful to exhibit fewer works than those of your group mates. Honor was given to work and skill, which were not easy for everyone, but Vasily Nesterenko was always a leader, he was noticeable even at school, at the student level.

The “Drawing from an antique sculpture”, made with a stroke using the watercolor technique, dates back to the time of his studies at school. The hand of the future master is visible in this work. Even then, Nesterenko set himself tasks that significantly exceeded the requirements of teachers. Having brilliantly completed the art course at school, he received a gold medal for general education subjects, which was a rarity among artists.

The next test is the entrance exams to the Moscow State Art Institute. V.I. Surikov - Nesterenko overcame more successfully than others and entered the Faculty of Painting as number one in the summer of 1985. A new stage began in the artist’s life, close in complexity to real professional life. A consistent supporter of realism, Vasily Nesterenko chose for his studies the most vibrant and dynamic creative workshop, which was led by People's Artist of the USSR S.S. Salakhov, an outstanding contemporary painter, academician, head of the Union of Artists of the USSR. In Salakhov’s workshop there were many supporters of abstract art who stood out from the rest of the students, but on the other hand, the best realists, as a rule, graduated from this particular workshop. The atmosphere of modern creativity reigned in it with its acute problems, differences in styles and creative attachments. This was a kind of “model” of the life of art into which everyone had to plunge after graduation.

Vasily Nesterenko sought to secure his primacy among the students of the Surikov Institute, but in order to become noticeable in it, high professional skills and great efficiency were required. Numerous studies of life-size nude models, preparatory drawings and sketches, female and male portraits in oil and charcoal interspersed with compositional searches. Gradually his skill grew in the accuracy of conveying proportions, in the sharpness of portrait characteristics, in the ability to convey the texture and materiality of the depicted objects.

At some point, the artist felt that it was necessary to return to the study of the classics - this is where the real mastery is, this is where you can learn a sense of proportion and rhythm, proportions and plasticity! Paying great attention to drawing as the basis of painting and composition, Vasily Nesterenko set himself a difficult task - to try to make a full-scale drawing from Michelangelo’s statue “David” at half its life size. Only a few such large drawings are known, and they were created mainly at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Working at the State Museum of Fine Arts. A.S. Pushkin, Nesterenko sought to be imbued with Michelangelo’s power in the interpretation of form, to feel the harmony of proportions and complex architectonics of this brilliant work. Not a single drawing from plaster casts and not a single production with nude sitters has given the artist as much as this drawing. Two months spent in the Pushkin Museum turned out to be much more useful than years in educational workshops.

For Vasily, this was the first experience of creative dialogue with the great maestro of the past. While painting David, he learned more about the life and work of Michelangelo than from all literary sources, more than, for example, from the Lives of Giorgio Vasari or from the memoirs of Ascanio Condivi. It seemed to the artist that he, as a diligent student, not only learned the work of the titan of the Renaissance, but was also allowed to talk with him.

Improving as a draftsman, Vasily Nesterenko sought to enrich his creative style with the painting techniques of the old masters. This was not taught, and few people possessed such secrets. It was possible to reveal them, to understand them in order to use them in practice, only by copying classical examples. The small painting “The Boyhood of the Madonna” by Francesco Zurbaran, located in the State Hermitage, attracted Vasily’s attention with its inner strength, expressive laconicism of artistic language, and the special spirituality that permeates the best creations of the great Spaniards. While working on a copy of this painting, the artist improved the technique of glazing, so necessary for multi-layer painting. Replenishing his technical arsenal, Nesterenko continued to study the compositional thinking of the old masters, which was gradually revealed when working with originals.

The next copy had a decisive influence on the artist’s creative style, becoming for many years a kind of tuning fork when creating his own works. “Portrait of Margaret of Lorraine” by A. Van Dyck, the pearl of our museum collections, is kept in Arkhangelskoye near Moscow. Friendship with the Arkhangelskoye Museum helped Vasily get a separate workshop in the Yusupov Palace, where he spent several months alone with Van Dyck’s canvas. The completed copy far exceeded all expectations - the artist managed to repeat the flight of the great Fleming's brush. Van Dyck's paintings are difficult to copy - after all, these are the pinnacles of Western European portraiture. To repeat a specific technique of the 17th century in our time means not only to study the original, but also to transform into a person of that era.

“Portrait of Margaret of Lorraine” was exhibited at the Surikov Institute along with a drawing of “David”. These two works left neither teachers nor students indifferent, securing Nesterenko’s fame as a draftsman and painter. It was clear to everyone that in front of them was an almost fully formed master. But how many such masters have sunk into oblivion, having never created anything other than educational works!

Vasily Nesterenko had to spend several more years at the Surikov Institute, but he felt that the time of apprenticeship had passed - it was necessary to find his own path in art, to declare himself in the artistic world. Nesterenko becomes a permanent participant in all All-Russian and All-Union exhibitions in Moscow. The first successful experiments in landscape and portrait painting date back to this time. Some of his portraits appear on the pages of leading Soviet art magazines.

Brought up in realistic traditions, Vasily Nesterenko constantly learned from his great predecessors, whose paintings adorn the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum. Finding something useful for himself in the works of Polenov and Serov, Nesterov and Vrubel, he tried to correlate his first successful works with the compositional paintings of Bryullov, Ivanov and Surikov, realizing that he was still at the very beginning of his creative path.

Having begun to take an active part in the artistic life of Moscow, the artist felt a lack of information about modern painting; he wanted to get acquainted with museum collections in the West. Were the apologists of avant-gardeism really right when they argued that art built on classical principles had outlived its usefulness and that the time had come for abstractions and installations? It should be recalled that this was the era of the Soviet Union, and going abroad to study art was extremely difficult. But Vasily Nesterenko managed to visit Europe, get acquainted with the unique collections of the Dresden Gallery, the Orsay Museum, the Louvre, and some modern museums. Impressionist painting became a real discovery for Vasily. It cannot be said that he did not know about them - the Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum have very good collections of impressionists. But, apparently, you had to see their paintings in Paris to truly appreciate them. The very soul of the artist demanded not to limit himself to academic skills, but to strive to depict the world in all its diversity. Nesterenko cannot be called a follower of the impressionists, but he learned a lot for himself by falling in love with their work.

A real success for the painter was a personal exhibition in Japan at the beginning of 1991, timed to coincide with the visit of USSR President M.S. Gorbachev to Japan. The exhibition traveled to Tokyo and several other cities in the country, where the artist saw the genuine interest of the Japanese audience in realistic art, in his portraits, landscapes and still lifes made during his studies. The traveling exhibition in Japan became not only Nesterenko’s first foreign exhibition, but also Nesterenko’s first personal exhibition. This success inspired the young master.

In the spring of 1991, Vasily Nesterenko unexpectedly received an offer to undergo an internship in America. The cultural exchange treaty between the two countries, signed by Presidents Bush and Gorbachev, was designed for hundreds of students, but among them there was only one place for an artist. The leadership of the Surikov Institute, without hesitation, proposed the candidacy of Nesterenko to the USSR Ministry of Culture. He goes to study in New York - the Mecca of contemporary art.

Having become a student at the PRASS Art Institute, Vasily gets his own workshop and the opportunity to get acquainted with the vibrant life of New York. There was nothing for Nesterenko to study at PRASS in the usual sense - the level of his professional training often significantly exceeded the skills of not only students, but also teachers. He was faced with another task - to study the artistic environment, culture, and way of thinking of Americans, and to try to take his place in the artistic life of New York. In a short time, Vasily Nesterenko became a sought-after artist in America. He organized several solo exhibitions and took part in many group projects; his paintings were eagerly purchased not only in New York, but also in galleries in California, New Mexico, and Colorado.

Looking back, Vasily Nesterenko believes that his stay in New York and the subsequent years of active exhibition activity in the USA significantly expanded his horizons, brought freedom to creativity and, most importantly, confirmed his desire to continue working in line with the realistic or, as they say in America, figurative painting. There are enough people all over the world who love art based on centuries-old traditions and who know how to appreciate true craftsmanship.

Surrounded by museums, theaters and galleries, the artist soon realized that only art that bears the stamp of national identity can be interesting for this diverse world. This, for example, explains the interest of the American public in the work of Mexican artists, the same situation with Japanese art. Russian art is no less original, and we have a lot to say to both American and European viewers. Russia, which has preserved the old school, still has to make its contribution to the development of modern painting, the artist believes.

During his stay in America, Vasily Nesterenko created dozens of paintings: portraits, landscapes, still lifes, nudes. One of the first works is “Still Life with Art Attributes”. The plot, drawn from Chardin and arranged according to all the rules of academic art, is full of evidence of modernity. In this work, for the first time, the type of still life painting was formed that would become characteristic of Nesterenko’s work in the future. The artist, not limiting himself to depicting objects, introduces into still life details of the interior, landscape, and even half-figures of people.

The painting “The Artist” is interesting because it was created in response to the words of some New York colleagues: “Why don’t you paint like us?” Having depicted canvases with abstract painting in the background, repeating the technology of their creation - which was not difficult after Van Dyck and Zurbaran - Nesterenko depicted in the foreground the figure of the American artist herself, the author of abstract works, in life size, as if answering his opponents: “And now try to do it like me!”

Despite the prospects for apparent success in America, the artist was persistently haunted by the thought that creating only landscapes and portraits was not enough to finally get on his feet in art. To do this, you need to paint a large compositional picture. Nesterenko wanted to prove to everyone, and above all to himself, that he could solve an extremely complex problem by creating a multi-figure canvas on a historical theme.

Unexpectedly for many, Vasily Nesterenko returns to Moscow and begins work on the multi-meter canvas “Triumph of the Russian Fleet”. The patriotic subject was not chosen by the artist by chance. The time when this picture was created was very difficult for Russia - these were years of political crises. Many of the processes taking place in the country at that time were unacceptable for an artist brought up with a love of national culture and history. In many ways, this picture symbolized his civic position. This causes the major sound, solemn rhythm and ceremonial pathos of the created work.

The compositional scheme of the painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet” was not determined immediately - it was preceded by long work on sketches and a painstaking study of evidence from the Peter the Great era. The artist was faced with the need to collect diverse material on the history of costume, weapons, sailing equipment of ships, and to study portraits and engravings of that time. Working on the sketches and cardboard of the painting required the mobilization of all the skills, experience and knowledge acquired during training and independent creativity, all the impressions gleaned in museums.

Vasily Nesterenko felt the need to continue studying the compositional principles of the old masters. During the preparatory work for the painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet,” the artist undertook a number of creative trips to Italy and France. In Venice, he was especially fascinated by the multi-figure compositions of Veronese and Tintoretto, Tiepolo and Titian, in Rome - the frescoes of Michelangelo and Raphael. In Florence, the artist stood for hours in front of Botticelli's paintings. He knew a lot about Florence, studying the history of art, but seeing in reality the famous city of great artists captivated him: the Uffizi and Pitchi Galleries, Palazzo Señoria, Borgello, Santa Croce, Santa Maria del Fiore, the Ghiberti doors and so much more! And, of course, the Accademia Gallery with the so familiar “David” by Michelangelo.

Going to Paris again, visiting the Louvre and Versailles, the artist studies the works of French romantics - Delacroix and Géricault, and admires the large canvases of Jacques Louis David. Inspired by the art of the Renaissance and classicism, Vasily Nesterenko tirelessly paints views of Paris, Florence and Venice from life.

The paintings created later were inspired by Italian impressions: “Still Life with Marine Instruments” and “Pierrot and Harlequin”. The last work contains an attempt at a philosophical understanding of the artist’s life. Pierrot's gaze speaks of the bitterness of disappointment, of a passionate and painful attitude towards creativity. The painting techniques used in this painting, the body texture, and the rhythm of color combinations speak of the artist’s attention to the quest of abstract painters. Nothing escapes the sight of Vasily Nesterenko, he tries to find something interesting for himself both in modern art and in the works of old masters, to use all the variety of artistic means to work on the large canvas that was waiting for him in the Moscow workshop.

Each time, returning to Moscow after visiting the largest museums in the world, Vasily Nesterenko made amendments and changes to the sketches of the painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet”. Soon the artist began drawing life-size figures directly on the canvas. Work on this preparatory drawing lasted eight months, and the painting itself took the same amount of time.

Before the first spectators who saw the picture, the All-Russian Emperor Peter I appeared in all his grandeur in the uniform of a chautbenacht, in which he commanded four fleets. The frigates and battleships of the Baltic Fleet, lined up in two lines on the Kronstadt roadstead, disappear into the haze on the horizon. The elegant dresses of Peter's closest associates and European envoys, the deep green and red colors of the Preobrazhensky uniforms, set in a dark silhouette against the background of a light golden platform and white smoke from cannon fire, a red-blue ship's jack and the imperial standard with maps of the four seas frame the figure of Peter. He is full of calm and grandeur, but at the same time, he nervously clutches the hilt of his sword and looks firmly and decisively straight at the viewer. We can almost hear the drum roll and cannon fire, almost feel the salty wind of the Baltic, as if we were present at this triumph of the great Emperor, his army and navy, testifying to our admiration for the genius of the transformative king and the courage of his people.

The painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet” is Nesterenko’s diploma work at the Moscow State Art Institute. V.I. Surikova. With this monumental painting he completed his artistic education. During the screening of the painting at the thesis defense at the Surikov Institute, it became clear that its artistic level far exceeded the requirements for thesis. The creation of the painting “Triumph of the Russian Fleet” led to the triumph of the author himself. From that moment on, the name of Vasily Nesterenko became famous in Russia. The presentation and subsequent placement of the painting in the Central Museum of the Armed Forces only increased the significance of this large-scale work. The artist declared himself throughout the country as a master who mastered a wide arsenal of artistic techniques, possessing equally the gift of a painter, draftsman and composer.

Just two years later, in 1996, the Russian Academy of Arts will invite Vasily Nesterenko to hold a personal exhibition in its exhibition halls. Not all artists received this honor. The exhibition was a great success. Nesterenko’s work received recognition from senior colleagues, academicians, and won the sympathy of many connoisseurs and art lovers. This exhibition became the artist’s gateway to great art, the beginning of real recognition of his talent. Many of the paintings presented for the first time at that exhibition are the best works of Vasily Nesterenko.

The painting “Alone with Myself” is especially memorable - one of the most heartfelt portraits of the master. The painting depicts a monk of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, immersed in prayerful thoughts. The portrait is painted so masterfully that it seems that we are looking at a living person, and not a picture plane. The image of a prayer-book monk who does not live by the vain interests of the world, but thinks and grieves about completely different things - this is the first and, perhaps, the most successful attempt to portray a true hero of our time, the one on whom the Russian land rests. A quiet, humble image carries great power. The portrait poses questions that sometimes a multi-figure painting cannot solve. We can safely say that “Alone with Myself” is an example of spiritual painting, something more than a simple image of a person.

The series of paintings “The Seasons,” landscapes of Athos and Jerusalem, and portraits made during the artist’s first pilgrimage journeys are imbued with the Orthodox spirit.
Vasily Nesterenko successfully tries himself as a master of ceremonial portraiture. The monumental figure of the Jerusalem Patriarch Diodorus, depicted in full vestments, is placed against the background of a light sky, setting off the richly colored clothes of the Patriarch. The solemn grandeur of the Primate of the Church of Jerusalem is emphasized by the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which dominates the Holy City. The painterly approach to this portrait is characterized by great freedom, which was noticeable even in the first watercolor sketch. The artist overcomes the conventionality of artistic language, some flattened interpretation of form, characteristic of his earlier works.

A number of exhibitions in Moscow that followed the exhibition at the Academy of Arts showed great interest among viewers in Nesterenko’s work, which in turn forced the artist to actively work in all genres of painting. However, one of the main directions in his work will remain the historical theme. Over the course of several years, the artist created a series of paintings dedicated to Russian military history: “We will be envied in this glory!”, “Father of the Fatherland”, “Dreams of the Navy”, “Hussar Ballad”, “Our Glory is the Russian Power!”, “Weapon of Victory” ", "Portrait of a Russian officer." In them you can see evidence of glorious victories at Gangut and Grengam, in the Battles of Poltava and Borodino, St. George's weapons of the mid-19th century and weapons of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The images of young men, either in the uniform of the Akhtyrsky hussar of 1812, or in the form of a modern cabin boy, are intended to show the continuity of historical and military traditions and reflect the hopes and aspirations of the artist himself. To these works we should add two children’s portraits: “Future Captain” and “Young Commander”, touchingly telling about the very childish interest of young heroes in Russian military history.

The painting “Moscow meets the heroes of Poltava,” created in 1997, continues Peter’s theme. The cavalcade of horsemen is written so convincingly that it seems that the author witnessed Peter’s ceremonial entry into Moscow after the Battle of Poltava. The rhythm of galloping horses, fanfares raised to the sky, and raised drumsticks echo the architectural rhythm of the Baroque Arc de Triomphe, depicted against the backdrop of the ancient Moscow Kremlin. The whole picture is permeated with movement; there is no trace of the static nature of the artist’s first compositional decisions.

Historical painting never ceases to excite Vasily Nesterenko. Another significant work in this area was the monumental canvas “Let's Defend Sevastopol!” The bold and unusual composition of the painting, its figurative structure with dramatic portrait characteristics, the restrained richness of color - everything speaks of the artist’s increased skill. The figures are not just precisely composed, the movements of the characters are not just expressive - the picture shows the inner world of the characters, their feelings and mental struggle in the fatal, perhaps the last moment of life.

The painting "Let's Defend Sevastopol!" leaves no one indifferent. Even if you don’t know what happened during the Crimean War, the topic of protecting one’s land, the topic of life and death can excite any person. But if we remember all the circumstances that led to one of the bloodiest wars of the 19th century, and correlate the events of the Crimean War with modern times, the picture takes on a completely different sound. This is not so much a depiction of events in Russian history - it is an appeal to contemporaries! The contradictions that brought Russia to the brink of disaster in the mid-19th century have persisted, and perhaps even worsened now. The topic of protecting borders, the fate of Sevastopol and other outposts not only has not lost its significance, but today these issues have become especially important for us. We must not forget that the Crimean, or Eastern, War began due to a religious conflict in Palestine. It is not for nothing that our ancestors called this war “the battle for the Manger of the Lord.” As in many other cases, Russia came out in defense of the humiliated and oppressed, while the danger that threatened Russia itself in those years is now difficult to imagine. Our knowledge about this war is very incomplete and tendentious, distorted by official Soviet historiography. In fact, our country by no means lost the Eastern War, although the number of victims suffered by the Russian people far exceeded the losses as a result of the Napoleonic invasion. Forced to defend itself against a coalition of world powers in the Black, Baltic, and White Seas, the Far East, the Caucasus, Moldova, Wallachia, and the Crimea, the Russian Empire could lose almost half of its territories and find itself within the borders of pre-Petrine Rus'. More than a million victims - this is the monstrous result of the Eastern War, the forerunner of the wars of modern history. Thanks to the heroism of the soldiers and sailors who held Sevastopol, thanks to the valiant victories in the Caucasus, Russia, as a result of the war with almost the whole world, lost practically nothing of its lands. Parallels with the Second World War suggest themselves; the Crimean War is an example for our contemporaries.

It was this interpretation of the theme that formed the basis for the creation of the painting “Let’s Defend Sevastopol!” And again, Vasily Nesterenko spends a long time in museums, archives and libraries, carefully studying historical materials. The most famous work about Sevastopol is the panorama of Franz Roubaud, created for the 50th anniversary of the completion of the defense of the fortress city. Vasily Nesterenko decided to solve his picture fundamentally differently than it was done by his predecessor. In Roubaud we see a large-scale panorama of the city, its bays and surrounding areas; one can fully imagine the course of hostilities and the disposition of troops during one of the assaults on Malakhov Kurgan.

Nesterenko shows the defenders of the bastions themselves, their facial expressions, experiences and passions boiling in the midst of battle. In the center of the picture is a mortally wounded young officer, just a boy, in the arms of an experienced soldier. It is difficult to describe the look of this soldier-guy. There is a cold determination in him to die, but not to leave the bastion, and surprise that it is not he who is dying, but this young man, whose life has just begun, this is also a feeling of tragedy, not yet realized, but has already penetrated the heart of the old veteran. The face of the young officer is beautiful, he fulfilled his duty, he gave everything he could - his life. The battle is thundering all around, the standard bearer is shouting, the senior officer is giving commands, soldiers and sailors are firing from guns and guns, a ship’s gun is about to thunder, and in this noise of battle we see and hear the holy silence of death.

The still unfinished canvas began to appear on the front pages of leading Russian newspapers and magazines. Presentation of the painting “Let’s Defend Sevastopol!” took place at the State Historical Museum, becoming an event in the cultural life of the capital. The subsequent personal exhibition at the Sevastopol Art Museum, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the city’s defense, literally stirred up the public in Crimea. What the artist strived for, trying to speak in the language of history about contemporary problems, turned out to be close to a wide audience.

The portrait “Unconquered” makes an equally strong impression. This is a new look at the Great Patriotic War and the attitude towards veterans living among us. Nesterenko chose a strict and expressive language for the artistic design of the portrait. The black color of the naval uniform against the backdrop of a snowy desert landscape emphasizes the intensity of the gaze of the old sailor, ready to remain faithful to his ideals until the “oak peacoat”. His gaze literally drills into the viewer, making him remember the faces of the defenders of Sevastopol.

The painting “Hegumen of the Russian Land” is a response to the events of 850 years ago, when Rus' was under the rule of the Tatar-Mongols. Sergius of Radonezh, the greatest Russian ascetic, who blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo, is depicted with his hands raised to the sky, prayerfully calling for help to the Mother of God and all the heavenly powers for the good of the long-suffering Russian land.

In the works of Vasily Nesterenko, interest in the era of the Time of Troubles is noticeable. A small sketch dedicated to the theme of the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders in 1612 is called “The judgment of the Fatherland has been brought to mercy!” These are the words of Sergius of Radonezh, who appeared in a dream to Archbishop Arseny and confirmed that the end of the Time of Troubles was near. The canvas “The Oath of Prince Pozharsky” depicts the Zaraisk governor - the savior of the Fatherland, who took upon himself the cross of military leadership of the militia. The mighty prince, reminiscent of the epic knights, stands against the background of a banner with the image of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the intercessor of Russia in all wars. Prince Dmitry Pozharsky prayerfully promises to protect his land from external and internal enemies.

The most difficult Time of Troubles began with the era of Boris Godunov. The personality of this king has always attracted the attention of not only historians, but also cultural figures. Working on the painting “Portrait of Vladimir Matorin as Boris Godunov” gave Vasily Nesterenko the opportunity to touch upon a theme that is in many ways traditional for Russian art. The artist was inspired by the image created on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater by an outstanding opera singer. Vladimir Matorin is a performer of the Chaliapin school, his amazing acting skills help him show the true image of Tsar Boris. Nesterenko’s painting is, of course, a portrait of Matorin, but the artist managed to reflect the features of Godunov himself, caught in a moment of terrible remorse. The expressive background of the portrait recalls the pangs of conscience that tormented the soul of the unfortunate king.

In his work, Vasily Nesterenko repeatedly turns to the theme of the artist and his theatrical role, when the character of the character is closely intertwined with the personality of the performer himself - the creator of the stage image. “Portrait of Vasily Lanovoy as Bernard Shaw” is another example of such a work. The character of the play “Dear Liar”, played by the favorite of the Soviet and Russian public Vasily Lanovoy on the stage of the Vakhtangov Theater, is depicted at a tragic moment in his life when he receives news of the death of his beloved. The pale face, nervous hands of the hero of the portrait, torn letters create an atmosphere of drama, which is emphasized by the background, intense in color and texture. The interpretation of the background becomes for Nesterenko an important component in identifying the image of the hero.

It is the background that helps the artist create a truly theatrical picture, which combines the architectural music of the famous city, the art of masquerade, and memories of the great artists of the past. We are talking about the painting “Venice Carnival”, depicting the famous theater figure Svyatoslav Belza in a fancy dress. A masterfully composed and dashingly painted portrait creates the feeling that the artist copes with complex artistic tasks without much difficulty, but this is an apparent ease, because behind every detail, behind every combination of color and movement of form there is an almost mathematically strict calculation, which allows us to perceive the complex composition of the picture as one whole.

Portraits of cultural figures have become Vasily Nesterenko’s favorite theme in his work. It is all the more important to note the first work in this series. This is a portrait of the great Russian singer Irina Arkhipova. A legendary personality, she can rightfully be called the “queen of opera.” The artist faced the most difficult task of depicting the versatility of Irina Arkhipova’s character and the significance of her creative contribution to Russian culture. The famous singer is depicted in a stage dress, claviers with notes, one of which is in her hands, and the other lies on the piano, allow you to recognize her favorite works.

Vasily Nesterenko works a lot in the field of portraiture. He often manages not only to convey the likeness, but also to look into the soul of the model, to create an entire composition, often going beyond a simple portrait. Such portrait-paintings include the image of Nil Stolobensky, a Russian ascetic of the 16th century, and the portrait of the Athonite elder Anthymius, who lived in our time and was canonized quite recently.

Female images attract special attention. Created in different years, these portraits are united by an atmosphere of pure and sincere admiration for the beauty of the inner world of those being portrayed. The artist always emphasizes the advantages of his models; for each image he finds a new solution. The painting “Alena” depicts a girl with a huge bouquet of daisies flying in all directions. In this portrait you can feel the spirit of Russia, the smell of discreet wildflowers. The heroine of the film “Indian Summer,” a girl from the Kostroma outback, stands in a thin dress and rubber boots near a hedge overgrown with weeds, waiting for her betrothed. As you know, Indian summer precedes Intercession, when it is customary to celebrate weddings. The portraits “Girl’s Dreams” and “Premonition of Love” are devoted to the theme of waiting for happiness. Subtle in color, these portraits are imbued with tenderness and lyricism.

The riot of colors of the southern park, red and pink petals of cherry blossoms frame the figure of Olga, the wife of Vasily Nesterenko, whose portrait is called “Spring”. The painting “Russian Madonna,” depicting Olga with her son Vanya on her lap, is arranged in a circle and is reminiscent of Italian tondos of the Renaissance. The artist loves to turn to traditional subjects and motifs, but always depicts them in a new way. The heroine of the portrait bent over a baby surrounded by wild flowers and herbs against the backdrop of a typical Russian landscape. It is not enough to say that this work was written with love and inspiration - it is itself a source of love.

A special place in the artist’s work is occupied by the portrait of his mother, Galina Vasilievna Nesterenko. It was his mother who helped Vasily develop as a person and succeed as an artist. She shared with him all the difficulties during his studies, she always supported him in moments of adversity and creative disappointment, she was nearby at all exhibitions and opening days. To achieve the best result in a portrait, artists try to find out more about their model, but in this case, Vasily Nesterenko was faced, according to him, with a very difficult task of a different kind - how to contain in one portrait everything that you feel and know about the most dear person - your mother ? According to many colleagues, the portrait turned out well. The artist’s mother looks at the viewer with a quiet and affectionate smile, her whole appearance radiates kindness and patience. Her native land, Ukraine, is reminiscent of the golden sunflowers depicted in the portrait as a background.

Landscape is often one of the important components of Vasily Nesterenko’s portraits; he often uses landscape elements in both still lifes and historical paintings. Interest in nature runs through all of the artist’s work. He made many landscape works: both sketches from life and large landscape paintings. Having begun, as already noted, with the study of the classics, Nesterenko in his first landscapes appeals to the work of his predecessors. Thus, in the painting “Memories of the Crimea” one can see an interest in the works of Claude Lorenne and the type of landscape characteristic of classicism. Parisian sketches and some southern views were created under the influence of the Impressionists. But soon Vasily Nesterenko groped for his visual language.

Among the first landscape paintings that bear the imprint of the artist’s creative individuality, one can note the canvas “Winter in Vladykino”. In this painting, for the first time, the artist set himself a major task - to try to depict the movement of falling snowflakes and the weight of wet snow on the branches. The composition of this work is characterized by a look through a close-up foreground image to a background with church architecture. This compositional technique will be often repeated subsequently, for example, in the series of paintings “The Seasons”. Four monumental landscapes: “Winter in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra”, “Spring on Athos”, “Summer in the Garden of Gethsemane” and “Autumn in Pechory” - do not just depict the seasons - they are canvases on which places are revered by Russian people. In them, nature is combined with ancient architecture into a single whole, drawing the viewer into a special spiritual world that the artist felt while visiting the holy Orthodox monasteries.

The master's winter landscapes are interesting and varied. The painting “Maslenitsa”, depicting Sergiev Posad, is beautiful in painting and composition, and with its major sound echoing the joyful mood of the Orthodox week preceding Lent. The painting “Waiting for Spring” is imbued with a feeling of approaching warmth, the end of the long Russian winter. Looking at the painting “Spring Flower,” the viewer is immersed in the atmosphere of a May garden, filled with the aroma of cherry blossoms. The canvas “Zaoksky Distances” takes us to a high hill, from which the wide expanses of central Russia open up, the smell of fallen leaves, the air is transparent and clean, quiet, only the rustling of the last leaves on the branches of birches can be heard.

The painting “The Forgotten” stands somewhat apart. The tragedy of Russian villages abandoned by people is shown in the image of a dilapidated house standing alone on the edge of the village next to an old birch tree. This is a very specific place - the village of Domnino, which once belonged to the royal family. And how many more such “forgotten” nooks and crannies! But Russian nature is beautiful in this case too. Any blade of grass, any leaf or flower contains within itself the image of one’s native land and can become a source of inspiration for an artist. An example of this are the paintings “Amanitas” and “Golden Veil”. God's world is perfect in every manifestation. You can admire the vast distances, or you can just look at your feet and see a whole universe dotted with yellow-orange foliage, ferns and mushrooms.

The most vivid and complete image of the Motherland is reflected in the painting “Oh, Russian Land!” The huge sky seems to cover a hill covered with wildflowers. Grazing cows are perceived as the epic guardians of native fields and meadows. The epic sound of the picture is emphasized by the title, borrowed from “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”

Sometimes a landscape can literally stun you with unexpected lighting or a suddenly opened perspective. Unusual manifestations of nature, which have a strong impact on humans, began to attract Vasily Nesterenko. The blood-red ray of the setting sun, suddenly invading the gray twilight atmosphere of a winter evening, in the painting “Winter Crimson” brings something apocalyptic to the usual Russian motif. A similar mood engulfs the viewer in the landscape “Icy Sunset”.

The unexpectedly appeared full moon instantly transformed the night seascape with an orange glow in the painting “Night Star”. The landscape “Magic Dream” is the hymn of ancient Cimmeria, heard by the artist in the sunny reflections of the waves of Koktebel. “Sea” is perhaps the most unusual landscape by Vasily Nesterenko in composition. The huge blue sea occupies almost the entire picture plane, carrying the viewer far beyond the horizon and immediately returning it back to the shore, where it foams at the foot of the rocks. You can look at this picture, like the sea element, for an infinitely long time, imagining that you are standing over a rocky cliff in the salty sea wind.

City views occupy an important place among Nesterenko’s landscapes. The artist painted Venice and Florence, London and Paris, Cordoba and Seville, Granada and Toledo. The urban motifs of New York are original in composition. But what is closest to the artist are the views of his beloved Moscow. The painting “View of the Kremlin from Old Square” is an image of a new and at the same time ancient capital with towers and churches, with roofs covered with snow, with Orthodox crosses. The landscape “Cathedral of Christ the Savior” is a painting-memory of the reconstruction of the paintings of the main Cathedral of the country.

Work at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior played a vital role in Vasily’s creative destiny
Nesterenko. The first sketches of the paintings were created in 1995, and the last icons and paintings were completed in 2002. This entire period was marked by the artist’s great interest in spiritual painting. This direction in art practically ceased to exist in Soviet times, since the last representatives of spiritual painting, Pavel Korin and Mikhail Nesterov, left. The reconstruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and other shrines of Russia at the turn of the millennium became a powerful incentive for the revival of spiritual painting itself. While working on church paintings, Vasily Nesterenko simultaneously created paintings with spiritual, Orthodox subjects.

A series of three paintings: “Christmas”, “Easter”, “Trinity” - is dedicated to the main Christian holidays. The compositions of these works include, in addition to church interiors and exteriors, elements of festive decor characteristic of each of these twelve holidays. In the painting “Easter”, Easter cakes, eggs and Easter eggs brought by parishioners with lit candles are laid out on a special platform. People moved away from the platform in anticipation of the priest, who was about to come to sprinkle holy water on these integral parts of the solemn Easter meal. A ray of spring sun falling on the painting depicting the risen Savior and the flickering lights of candles create a hidden atmosphere of mystical depth, enveloping the incomprehensible mystery of Christ's Resurrection.

On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate churches with birch branches and cover the floor with fresh summer grass. Exuding the aroma of fields and forests, these herbs, flowers and leaves create an unusual, but unusually solemn atmosphere during worship. In the painting “Trinity” we see three light sources that have different effects on the illumination and color of objects. This is the yellowish light from the lamp above the icon, the flickering lights of candles and bright sunlight falling obliquely on the stone pylon with the Rublev Trinity. But one cannot help but feel that the main source of light is the icon itself with the ancient image of the Old Testament Trinity.

The painting “Christmas” opens this cycle of three paintings. The Nativity of Christ marks the beginning of a new era in human history. All the prophecies about the coming of the promised Messiah to the world have come true - the Son of God is born in the manger of the Bethlehem cave. The Child Christ in the arms of the Virgin Mary illuminates the entire universe with His birth. The betrothed Joseph and the shepherds are the first witnesses to the miracle taking place. Here is the plot of the church painting, placed by the artist in the center of the painting “Christmas”. This image, decorated with a garland of fir branches, as well as small sculptures of cows and donkeys, are part of the so-called nativity scene, symbolizing the Manger of the Lord in Bethlehem. The deep green color of the fir branches sets off the glow emanating from the Star of Bethlehem and the reflections of burning candles on both sides of the nativity scene.

Vasily Nesterenko often opens his exhibitions with this particular painting, symbolizing the beginning of the Christian world and dedicated to one of the most important church holidays. This album also begins with the painting “Christmas,” which, according to the artist, should help the reader immediately feel the atmosphere of Russian spiritual and realistic painting.

Before starting the painting of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Nesterenko completed work on the icon “Image of the Mother of God Unexpected Joy” and on the painting “The Crucifixion”. While still a student, the artist carefully studied paintings on the subject of the Crucifixion, created by the great Spanish masters: Diego Velazquez, Francesco Zurbaran and Alonso Cano. And finally, Vasily Nesterenko felt that he could take on the work dedicated to depicting the most terrible event in the history of mankind. The painting by Vasily Nesterenko, of course, bears the stamp of a traditional approach to solving the theme of the Crucifixion, but, on the other hand, his creative individuality in the interpretation of this plot is clearly visible. The artist believes that paintings depicting the events of the Gospel should look modern and be close to people of our time. Every person must live the Gospel story in his soul. It is not without reason that it is said that with our sins we crucify the Savior of the World. The work on the painting “The Crucifixion” coincided with the bombing of Serbia, and many of the first viewers of this work saw in the image of Jerusalem depicted at the bottom of the canvas a hint of our contemporary era.

The icon “Image of the Mother of God Unexpected Joy” is dedicated to the theme of sin and repentance. Having seen the consequences of his unrighteous actions, the sinner shown in the icon brings sincere repentance, which causes the unexpected joy of the Most Holy Theotokos.

These and many other works were first presented at Vasily Nesterenko’s personal exhibition at the New Manege in Moscow in the spring of 1999. This exhibition became another milestone in the artist’s creative biography. But immediately after the opening of the exhibition, a new stage in Nesterenko’s life begins - the artist begins painting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Four colossal paintings had to be recreated by Vasily Nesterenko. The paintings “The Resurrection of Christ” and “The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew” are located on the northwestern pylon of the Temple. Both plots are compositionally combined into one whole; together their height is twenty-three meters, which is comparable to an eight-story building. Two other paintings: “The Baptism of the Lord” and “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem” are located in the semicircular tympanums of the northern and western aisles. The length of each of the paintings exceeds twelve meters. The artist completed this grandiose work in record time, in just seven and a half months.

In the 19th century, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was painted over the course of ten years; the scaffolding was removed three times so that the artists could see from below how their work was proceeding, how the picturesque subjects were combined with each other and with the ornaments. Now there was no such opportunity - artists, sculptors, and builders were in a hurry to complete everything by the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ. Thus, the work on the murals required enormous effort. For Vasily Nesterenko, the task was complicated by the fact that he had not one plot, but four at once, and by the fact that he worked without assistants. This was a unique situation during the reconstruction of the Temple. Apart from Nesterenko, no one worked alone on such stories. As a rule, they painted in teams of five or six, or even twelve artists each. Many years have passed since then; now it is difficult to imagine how Vasily could withstand such a load - simultaneously working on all four plots, moving through the forests from one part of the Temple to another.

Artists were constantly monitored by the Commission for Artistic Decoration, demanding compliance with religious canons and the level of original painting of the 19th century. The Commission included representatives of the church, members of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts, which headed, as in the 19th century, all artistic work in the Temple, restorers, technologists and architects. The opinions of the members of the Commission did not always coincide and were not always close to the masters themselves, who worked in a very strict regime. Any careless word could plunge the artists into despair and jeopardize the completion of the work. In addition, the painters were constantly urged by architects and builders, who were in a hurry to dismantle the scaffolding in order to begin finishing the marble floors and other decorative elements in the lower part of the Temple. Many did not understand that without sufficient time it was impossible to complete the compositions begun, to correlate them with neighboring paintings, to bring the tonal tension and color scheme into a single whole.

Vasily Nesterenko worked fourteen hours a day. At this time, construction and installation work did not stop inside the Temple. The roar of elevators, the sharp sounds of metal saws, the grinding of nails being pulled out and other construction noise made it difficult to concentrate at first, but over time I had to get used to them. All thoughts were occupied with creative tasks of recreating brilliant examples of spiritual painting of the 19th century.

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was erected as a monument to the liberation of Russia from the Napoleonic invasion, consecrated in the name of the Nativity of Christ and for a long time was one of the symbols of Russian Orthodoxy. The best artists of the Imperial Academy of Arts created its pictorial and sculptural decoration. Almost all subjects of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior were often used to create icons and paintings in most other Russian churches. It is difficult to overestimate its importance for the spiritual life of Russia. A tragic turn in the history of our country led to the barbaric destruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. No one believed that it would ever be restored; the history of the Temple, its unique painting and sculpture turned into a legend.

And now a new time has come, and they decided to revive the Temple-Monument, the Temple-Symbol. Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II gave his blessing to restore its interior decoration in all the splendor of its former splendor, repeat the original technologies, and use similar materials.

Vasily Nesterenko was commissioned to recreate two paintings by Henryk Semiradsky, two paintings by Evgraf Sorokin, and then, after two years, four Theotokos icons by Fyodor Bronnikov and the Shroud for the Main Altar.

For Nesterenko, who had been interested in the spiritual painting of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior since school, began a long creative dialogue with the best representatives of the Russian academic school. This was not a repetition of once existing paintings, but rather a dialogue with their authors.

The quality of the reproductions provided to the artist was often so poor that it was impossible to judge whether any given group of characters were male or female. The complete absence of color, because the images were obtained from black and white phototypes, and the blurry fuzzy contours forced Vasily Nesterenko to creatively rethink these works. While completely preserving the overall composition, the artist had to re-search for many artistic solutions.

The murals that Nesterenko worked on bear the stamp of his creative individuality, although they were created based on the works of Semiradsky and Sorokin. Numerous details, compositional connections, faces and hands of characters, interpretation of folds, color scheme rightfully belong to Nesterenko. In accordance with the tradition of the 19th century, the artist signed his subjects, for example, the signature on the western tympanum reads: “The composition of G. Semiradsky was recreated by V. Nesterenko.” This corresponds to the creative dialogue between artists of different centuries, uniting the author of the original creation and the author who created a new work based on the surviving material and compositional scheme.

Vasily Nesterenko began work on the walls of the Temple with the painting “The Baptism of the Lord.” Detailed charcoal drawing helped him in further work on the plot, allowing him to focus more on the color scheme and interpretation of the images. This work is imbued with a mystical sound and depicts the moment when the Triune God appeared in all His forms: in the form of Jesus Christ receiving baptism, in the form of the Holy Spirit, hovering in the form of a dove over the Savior, and the Voice of God the Father, declaring: “This is My Beloved Son.” in whom I am well pleased." It was very difficult to work on such a plot, but Vasily Nesterenko managed to create a truly spiritual work that meets the Orthodox canons.

Having barely begun to paint the painting “The Baptism of the Lord,” the artist began work on a preparatory drawing on the wall for the painting “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.” The image of the original plot was the worst preserved - the vague phototype could not give Nesterenko anything other than the most general composition, thus the artist was most free when creating this particular painting. In accordance with Semiradsky's method, Nesterenko actively used full-scale sketches. The artist often included entire figures drawn from life in the painting. Vasily Nesterenko achieved that, in its color and tonal sound, the painting “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem” resembles the works of Semiradsky, but at the same time it is a great achievement of Nesterenko himself, both in pictorial terms and in many elements of the composition.

Continuing to work on two tympanums, the artist experienced inner trepidation as he passed by his pylon. The colossal space on which the paintings “The Resurrection of Christ” and “Matthew the Evangelist” were to be created was overwhelming in its size; it was lost below under the floors of scaffolding and was barely visible in the twilight above. But the artist began working on the pylon’s subjects, justifying the saying: “the eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing.” At this moment, the tension in work reached its highest point for Vasily Nesterenko.

The pylon paintings were divided into nine floors by scaffolding, making it impossible to see the entire figures, making it much more difficult to maintain proportions. Vasily was helped by a life-size preparatory drawing he had created a year earlier for the central part of the painting “The Resurrection of Christ.” In this huge graphic work made in charcoal, the artist carefully traced the tonal and plastic solution of the main part of the painting. Even earlier, in 1995, Nesterenko painted a painting of the same name, which is a project to recreate the painting of the northwestern pylon in color. These two canvases allowed the artist to successfully work on the pylon, despite all the technical problems.

The plane of the wall where Nesterenko worked on the image of the Evangelist Matthew was almost completely covered with metal structures, channels and nets. But again, the preparatory work done in life-size before the painting began helped. The artist solved all the pictorial and plastic problems in advance, which allowed him to concentrate on conveying the appearance of the Apostle, achieve the utmost expressiveness of his gaze, and subordinate the pictorial solution to the painting to reveal the powerful image of the author of one of the four Gospels.

The main achievement of Vasily Nesterenko in the painting “The Resurrection of Christ” was the image of the light emanating from the figure of Christ, who descended into hell to bring out Adam, Eve and the souls of the Old Testament righteous, and from the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, shining above the figure of the Savior. The painting “The Resurrection of Christ” became the artist’s main work on the walls of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

But his work for the Temple did not stop there. Nesterenko, at the request of the Commission for Artistic Decoration, recreated a cycle of four Mother of God icons, once executed by Bronnikov. The icons “Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and “Introduction into the Temple” are located on both sides of the Main Altar, and the icons “Annunciation” and “Assumption” are in the western part of the Temple, opposite the altar. Vasily Nesterenko concentrated all his creative forces when working on the Shroud. This icon, which became a true masterpiece, was recreated by the master for the throne of the Main Altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Another major project of the artist was a series of paintings on Gospel subjects for the Patriarchal refectory of the Temple. The painting “The Last Supper” was created even before the painting began and was donated by the Moscow Government to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 1998. Four other multi-figure paintings from the earthly life of the Savior were conceived and executed by the artist after finishing work on the paintings of the upper Temple. On both sides of the “Last Supper” are the paintings “Marriage in Cana of Galilee” and “The Miraculous Multiplication of the Loaves,” dedicated to depicting the miracles revealed by Jesus Christ and symbolizing the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord during the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The painting “The Miraculous Catch” is reminiscent of another miracle of the Savior, revealed on the shore of the Sea of ​​Galilee. The painting “Christ and the Samaritan Woman” depicts a scene near Jacob’s well, when Jesus Christ reveals the mystery of His coming into the world, speaking about how and where to worship God, about the mystery of the water flowing into eternal life.

These paintings were made with the confident brush of a true master, who has come a long way in his work from academic productions to historical paintings and paintings of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Natural impressions from creative trips to the Holy Land allowed Nesterenko to achieve truthfulness in the depiction of Cana and Jerusalem, stones on the shore of the Sea of ​​Galilee and lemon and grape leaves over an ancient well in Samaria. Images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the apostles accompany the viewer from one picture to another. While in the Patriarchal refectory, you find yourself surrounded by scenes from the Gospel story, immersed in the atmosphere of the Holy Land.

The paintings of the Gospel cycle became a great creative achievement of Vasily Nesterenko. Exhibited at the artist’s personal exhibition in the Big Manege and reproduced several times, these paintings received well-deserved recognition from a wide audience of art lovers.

The listing of works performed by Vasily Nesterenko for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior would be incomplete without ten types of Orthodox monasteries created for the Antechamber of the Hall of Church Councils. The paintings depicting the most important monastic monasteries for Russia are distinguished by their compositional diversity. The artist notes the most characteristic features of each monastery. Architectural ensembles often form one whole with the surrounding nature and sound differently in the changing seasons.

A significant place in the creative biography of Vasily Nesterenko is occupied by two years of work on the paintings of the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov. The quadrangle of the temple, built according to the design of Aleviz Novy, the architect of the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, was completed and painted in the 19th century. Many masters who had previously worked in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior took part in the creation of wall paintings. Time has been kind to this architectural monument, but the picturesque decoration has suffered greatly under a layer of Soviet-era paint and whitewash. A third of the paintings were completely missing. The head of the city administration and the dean of the churches of the Dmitrovsky district suggested that Vasily Nesterenko assemble a creative team capable of creating new works that could be combined with the surviving paintings.

Nesterenko, having gained enormous experience in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, not only successfully supervised the work of artists and ornamentalists, but also himself created several paintings in the Main Altar and the painting “Image of the Holy Trinity” in the Sergius chapel of the cathedral. Working in the altar on the subjects of “The Last Supper”, “Prayer of the Chalice”, “Calvary” and “Image of St. John the Baptist”, the artist was forced to correlate his work with the partially preserved neighboring paintings, which were made in a style more archaic than academic painting second half of the 19th century.

When working on the painting “Image of the Holy Trinity,” the artist was free to choose his painting style. The result was a work that stands out from other church works by Vasily Nesterenko. “Image of the Holy Trinity” is an example of the artist’s success in modern spiritual painting. The painting done on the vault with its light colors, refined proportions, and spiritualized faces of angels makes us remember the heavenly world, the secrets of the Divine universe.

Although the work on the paintings in the Dmitrovsky Assumption Cathedral was not as intense as in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, due to its more intimate dimensions, there were features that significantly complicated the creative tasks. They were associated with the need to fit the created works into the already established pictorial decoration.

The idea of ​​creating a completely new church interior permeated the work on sketches of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in honor of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus'. The image of the Trinity, revealed in different manifestations, is repeated three times in semicircular tympanums - this is the Baptism of the Lord, the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the Old Testament Trinity with the upcoming Russian saints to whom the Image of the Holy Trinity was revealed. The image of the Savior establishing the sacrament of Communion during the Last Supper and the image of the Heavenly Eucharist on the altar wall should be clearly visible through the relatively low iconostasis.

Along the perimeter of the temple are depicted cathedrals of Russian saints from different lands, raising their prayer words to the heavenly world during the thousand-year history of the Russian Church. These paintings are intended to symbolize the unity of modern believers and ancient saints in prayerful appeal to God.

The artist spent four years working on recreating the artistic decoration of the Church of the Assumption in Domnino, the family estate of the Romanov boyars. The village of Domnino is located on Kostroma land. Once upon a time the headman of this village was the legendary Ivan Susanin, and nearby the young Mikhail Romanov, the future founder of the royal dynasty, was hiding from Polish troops. The Church of the Assumption stands on the site where, according to legend, there was the house of the nun Martha, mother of Mikhail Romanov.

A classic example of Russian church architecture, the temple has three chapels with unique icons of the Yaroslavl and Kostroma schools. Ancient wall paintings made in the provincial baroque style have been partially preserved.

Complex work under the general leadership of Vasily Nesterenko made it possible to restore more than a hundred icons, put the paintings in order, and restore iconostases with unique carvings. New ornamental and narrative paintings were created. Vasily Nesterenko took a personal part in the work on several new compositions for the Assumption Church. The album contains a sketch of “The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, created by the artist for painting a niche in the outer part of the church.

Spending time in the heart of Russia, in the most picturesque places of Susanino, the artist wrote many sketches. The Kostroma land became a source of inspiration for the paintings: “Oh, Russian land!”, “Forgotten”, “Okolitsa”, “Indian Summer” and others.

Vasily Nesterenko had unforgettable impressions from working on the interior of the Throne Hall of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. The artist was invited on behalf of Patriarch Diodorus on the eve of the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ.

The short-term but very intense work of the creative team under the leadership of Nesterenko made it possible to create exquisite ornamental and picturesque decoration. The artist himself painted the “Image of the Holy Spirit” in the central apse of the Throne Room.

At the beginning of January 2000, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, all the Patriarchs and Presidents of Orthodox countries met under the painting of Vasily Nesterenko. Nesterenko and his fellow artists received a unique opportunity to participate in the anniversary solemn services in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and in the Church of the Manger in Bethlehem.

The creation of the painting “Christmas in Jerusalem”, depicting a corner of the Russian Orthodox monastery in the Garden of Gethsemane, dates back to this time. Created upon his return to Russia, “The Image of the Savior in the Crown of Thorns” is dear to the artist because in its technique and pictorial manner it is close to the paintings he completed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Analyzing the work of Vasily Nesterenko, it becomes obvious that the artist’s church paintings and spiritual paintings are closely related to his portrait and landscape works and are perceived in the general context of his work. The interpretation of the rocky bank of the Jordan in the “Baptism of the Lord” painting allows us to recall some Crimean and Athonite views. The landscape part of the painting “Christ and the Samaritan Woman” is reminiscent of the work “Christmas in Jerusalem.” One can find many similarities in the style of painting between the artist’s seascapes and the painting “A Wonderful Catch.” An even more noticeable connection can be traced between portraits of real persons and images created in paintings and multi-figure canvases. The artist fills his works with living people with accurate and expressive portrait characteristics. Nesterenko finds a special solution for the composition of each plot, but he subordinates the compositional schemes of both spiritual and historical paintings to the same laws.

Despite the variety of genres and the abundance of subjects that attract the artist, his work is very integral in its internal content. Whatever he undertakes, he tries to penetrate into the essence of the creative task, finding reflection of the highest beauty and harmony in portraits of women and in images of the clergy, in monumental landscape works and in small sketches from nature, such as “Path in the Rocks” or “ The road to the top." Vasily Nesterenko does not limit himself to depicting identical motifs and does not limit himself to one genre or another. The artist tries to embrace the entire world around him, to reflect in his own language all the beauty and harmony of man and nature, to admire the perfection of the universe created by the Creator.

The art of Vasily Nesterenko calls people to kindness and tolerance; it is reconciling at its core and strives to be perfect in its form. The artist believes that only good can be a source of inspiration and an object for the application of creative abilities. The viewer notices this immediately. It is generally difficult to deceive the public - after all, the artist’s work reflects his thoughts and aspirations. In our century, when examples of the denial of spiritual values ​​are becoming more and more frequent, Vasily Nesterenko consciously chose for himself the path of serving goodness and beauty. He calls for beauty, showing positive examples from history and drawing attention to the best of what surrounds us.

This can be most fully felt when the artist’s works, made in different genres, are collected together. Then the general impression of harmony, silence and peace takes possession of the viewer. This was the case at the first personal exhibition at the Academy of Arts, and at exhibitions in the New Manege and in many other halls. This was repeated with particular force in the Big Manege, when thousands of people became acquainted with all the diversity of the artist’s work.

A personal exhibition of Vasily Nesterenko in the largest exhibition hall in Russia, the Big Manege, took place at the beginning of 2004. Only a few artists in the entire history of this exhibition hall were able to organize personal exhibitions on its premises. But the colossal size of the Big Manege turned out to be commensurate with the scope of Vasily Nesterenko’s talent. In preparation for the exhibition, the artist created many new works, which were shown for the first time in this hall. In terms of the degree of creative activity, the time spent preparing the exhibition in the Big Manege was comparable for Vasily Nesterenko to the time he worked at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The exhibition received a huge response in Moscow.

Six months after this, the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin presented V.I. Nesterenko with the badge of the honorary title “People’s Artist of Russia” in the Kremlin. Another important result of the exhibition was the desire of state leaders and ordinary spectators to have the opportunity to get acquainted with the artist’s works not only in Moscow, but also in other cities of Russia.

Personal exhibitions of Vasily Nesterenko were organized in the State Art Museums of Orel, Orenburg, Lipetsk, Vologda, Dmitrov, Ryazan, Petrozavodsk, as well as in museums in cities near and far abroad - in Kiev, Sevastopol, Minsk, Berlin, Nicosia, Beijing and other cities . Many of them were so successful that the artist was asked to significantly extend the exhibition in order to give even more art lovers the opportunity to get acquainted with his work.

By decision of the Moscow Government, the “State Art Gallery of Vasily Nesterenko” was created in the capital of Russia and a building was allocated for this purpose on Old Arbat. But exhibitions continue to be the artist’s favorite way to communicate with viewers. Often an artist is given the opportunity to organize exhibitions and presentations of one work. For example, the presentation of the portrait of Irina Arkhipova took place at the State Tretyakov Gallery, the painting “Let's Defend Sevastopol!” - in the State Historical Museum, a portrait of Vladimir Matorin - in the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, and a portrait of Vasily Lanovoy - in the Central House of Artists.

The artist created many new works for the second personal exhibition within the walls of the New Manege - these are the paintings “Russian Madonna”, “Portrait of Mother”, “Sea”, “Magic Dream”, “Premonition of Love”, “Venice Carnival” and others. Brought up on the academic traditions of Russian art, being a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Vasily Nesterenko took great responsibility for organizing the second personal exhibition in the halls of this one of the most famous and oldest academies in the world. This happened in 2006, on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts and ten years after the artist’s first commemorative exhibition.

The paintings of Vasily Nesterenko are close to both specialists in painting and people far from artistic creativity; they talk about modern Russia with its glorious past and rich traditions, glorify the beauty of nature, and call for turning to spiritual values. He can rightfully be called a national artist.

Having earned the respect of his colleagues and the love of the audience, Vasily Nesterenko remains devoted to his favorite work. For him, art is not just a job - it is a way of life. To serve Russia with his talent, to benefit society with his works - this is the true duty of the artist in his understanding.

Vasily Nesterenko continues to actively work in all genres of painting, setting himself more and more new goals. There are blank canvases in his studio, new subjects are in his creative plans, grandiose achievements are in his dreams.

Member of the Presidium of the Council for Culture and Art under the President of the Russian Federation,
Vice President of the Russian Academy of Arts,
Doctor of Art History, Professor
D. O. Shvidkovsky

“You can imagine how important and relevant this is now - to convey to our people, to our consciousness, the greatness and power of Russia.”

V. Nesterenko

Biography. The early years of Vasily Nesterenko

The youngest people's artist of Russia was born in Pavlograd, Ukraine in 1967. After the death of his father, at the age of 9, he began serious training in painting, and in 1980 he entered the Moscow Secondary Art School at the Academic Art Institute. Surikov. Vasily Igorevich was an excellent student and graduated from secondary art school with a gold medal.

In October 1985 he entered the painting department at the Surikov Institute, but in the winter of that year he was drafted into the army, where he served until 1987. After the army, he continued his studies at the institute and in the class of Academician T.T. Salatova. Among the teachers were prof. L.L. Shepelev, prof. S.N. Shilnikov, N.P. Khristolubov and E.N. Troshev, but T.T. remained my favorite teacher. Salatov, about whom the artist will write more than once in his articles.

In the fall of 1988, Nesterenko participated in the All-Union exhibition “Youth of Russia” in the Moscow Manege. This exhibition brought him success and until 1990 he participated in several more exhibitions of young artists.

The first personal exhibition of the promising artist took place in April 1990 in the Exhibition Hall of the Moscow State Academy of Arts. Surikov. Another sign of his success was the purchase of the painting “Chernobyl” by the Kyiv Art Museum in May 1990. This is followed by many exhibitions, both at home and abroad.

From September 1991 to June 1992, Nesterenko underwent a graduate internship on behalf of the USSR Ministry of Culture at the PRATT Art Institute in New York, where its leaders were such eminent personalities as Ross Near, Phoebe Hellman and Frank Lindt. Members of the American League of Professional Artists (ALPA) come to his exhibition and are so delighted with the young talent that in April 1992 they accepted him into their organization. For his resounding success during the period of New York creativity, Nesterenko was awarded an Honorary Prize at the 64th National Exhibition of ALPH.

Upon returning to his homeland, Nesterenko took up his thesis “Triumph of the Russian Fleet” (1994). In the spring of 1994, Nesterenko brilliantly defended his diploma and completed his studies at the Surikov Institute. At the same time, he became a member of the International Federation of Artists UNESCO.

Biography. The mature years of Vasily Nesterenko

Since Vasily Nesterenko achieved success very early, the period of maturity can be counted from the moment he completed his studies at the institute. He quickly found his way in art; he is capable of all genres of painting: from historical paintings to psychological portraits.

In 1995, he began working on sketches for paintings in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which, already in 1996, won the competition and Nesterenko became one of the restoration artists. He works hard on sketches and in 1999 the monumental painting was completed. For the design of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior he was awarded the Order of Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd degree.

At the age of 33, in May 1999, Vasily Nesterenko became an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, and in 2000, the state cultural institution “Moscow Art Gallery of Vasily Nesterenko” was created. His hard work and zeal for work are stunning: not every artist is capable of creating a collection for an exhibition in the New Manege, especially at such a young age.

In 2002 he participated in the painting of the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov. In 2003, the publication of his albums was published. Later he painted the Assumption Church in Domnino and the Throne Hall of the Patriarch of Jerusalem in Jerusalem.

In 2004 he received the title “People’s Artist of the Russian Federation”, and in 2007 he was elected Full Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

The most famous paintings of Vasily Nesterenko

The paintings in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior include the following works: “The Resurrection of Christ”, “The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew”, “The Baptism of the Lord”, “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem”, as well as four icons of the Mother of God, five paintings on biblical themes for the Patriarchal Refectory and a shroud that literally mesmerizes the viewer.

“Triumph of the Russian Fleet” (1994) is a huge work, 6 meters long, striking not only with its size, but also with its technique. It is difficult to imagine how difficult it is to depict such diverse portraits in one picture without losing the central figure - Peter I. Made in the classical style of Russian painting, it is filled with dynamics in the movements of the characters and the contrast between military costumes and women's jewelry.

The historical canvas “Let's Defend Sevastopol,” created in 2005, was a kind of declamation by the artist that the main task of contemporaries is to honor the victories of their ancestors.

The genre portraits “Unconquered” (2005) and “Alone with Myself” (1995) are images of “heroes of my time” - people who live an unusual life and are happy in their loneliness and inner harmony.

Belonging of Nesterenko’s paintings to artistic styles

Nesterenko works mainly in the style of Russian classical painting. For him, examples are Nesterov, Ivanov, Vasnetsov and Van Dyck. In historical paintings and in religious painting, especially in the painting “Alone with Myself,” there are similarities with Nesterov: he also tries to find beauty in the ascetic lifestyle of monks.

Museums and galleries are places for exhibitions of paintings by Vasily Nesterenko

Museum and Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow

Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Central Museum of the Russian Armed Forces

Russian Academy of Arts .

View all paintings by artist Nesterenko V.G. Can

© Artist Nesterenko. Biography of the artist Nesterenko. Paintings, description of paintings by artist Nesterenko

An exhibition of the famous artist opens in the Manege Central Exhibition Hall

He is one of those on whom the Russian land rests, one of the participants in the press conference, Alexander Rozhkin, academician, member of the presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts, editor-in-chief of the Tretyakov Gallery magazine, said about Vasily Nesterenko. And at the very beginning of his short speech, rather an introduction to the exhibition, he called the artist a devotee of Russian culture.

In the presence of representatives of many media outlets, in fact, to the whole of Russia, such things are not simply said. And it was these words that came to mind when, after the press conference, I left the ITAR-TASS building at the beginning of Tverskoy Boulevard. From here it was a stone's throw to the Manege, where Vasily Nesterenko is preparing to show his paintings. A little over a kilometer, about 20 minutes on foot, slowly, along Bolshaya Nikitskaya. On this street, by the way, 100 years ago, in building No. 5, in December 1916 - March 1917, the 45th anniversary exhibition of the Association of Traveling Exhibitions was held. The Union of Russian Artists, the World of Art, and the Moscow Association of Artists also exhibited in Moscow at that time.

In general, the first two months of the revolutionary year 1917 for masters of fine art coincided with the zenith of the exhibition season. “There is such an abundance of exhibitions in Moscow,” the reviewer noted, “as if Russian artists were forced to paint instead of military service... Eleven in total. It seems like a lot of events for a year.” At the same time, one of the leaders of the Art Theater Vl. Nemirovich-Danchenko quite rightly asked the question: “Is society currently really interested in new achievements in art? Could it be interested in this now? Does he have a sufficient reserve of attention for this? And the artist Apollinary Vasnetsov wrote: “The modern direction of art, its alienation from life, naturally, cannot in any way react to the exciting events of recent times: it passes without a trace for it.”

A hundred years later, these problems - is today's society really interested in art, is art alienated from life in Russia - are not so acute, although they have not disappeared anywhere. At the press conference, a question was asked about Vasily Nesterenko’s attitude to the fact that artists are still divided into “white” and “red” (realists and avant-garde artists).

And the artist replied that in art confrontation is inevitable, but “there is no need to strangle either one or the other, then there will be a wide palette.” And as an example he named Zurab Tsereteli, who “reconciled everyone.”

Nesterenko said that at one time he also studied with Tair Salakhov (People’s Artist of the USSR), a kind of Soviet “almost avant-garde artist.” And he emphasized: our main task is to overcome the split in society, otherwise we can slide into turmoil. He also said that the state could lose art education.

Surprisingly, today the artist has identified almost the same problems that troubled Russia a century ago. “At the present time,” wrote critic A. Rostislavov in 1917, “one can hardly talk about a specific banner of this or that advanced artistic society. Fragmentation into separate societies and circles is indeed a very noticeable phenomenon in our country in the last decade. Apparently, the time for salons is ripe for us too.” This idea of ​​exhibitions similar to the Paris Salons, where artists representing all movements of modern art would gather under one roof, was expressed everywhere. In Moscow, on Easter 1917, the opening of the “Spring Salon” exhibition was planned, at which the participation of all art societies was expected and the hope was expressed that “such an exhibition would be able to vividly and most typically (32) present all existing movements of modern art.”

In the organization of such exhibitions, contemporaries saw an opportunity to put an end to the transformation of exhibitions “into a sales market”; they hoped that they would be able to move “Russian art forward” and, being the highest court for artists, would help them improve. And this, too, was one of the features of the artistic life of the beginning of 1917. And today, just look at those grandiose queues that line up at the country’s art galleries, and many questions that are reaching out to us from the past will disappear by themselves...

People's Artist of Russia, full member of the Russian Academy of Arts Vasily Nesterenko, this is already the third personal exhibition at the Big Manege.

In the entire history of this main exhibition hall of the country, only a few artists have been awarded such a high honor. And not everyone, frankly speaking, is capable of such titanic work as organizing a personal exhibition on an area of ​​10 thousand square meters. m, where, according to Vladislav Kononov, executive director of the Russian Military Historical Society and one of the organizers of the exhibition, 1000 works by Vasily Nesterenko are being prepared for display. To which the artist responded: “Not counting the small ones.” And he said that life-size reproductions of paintings from Mount Athos and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior will also be presented.

In general, the artist’s track record includes so many personal exhibitions that it is almost impossible to even list them all. However, among them there are some that cannot be forgotten. These are exhibitions held at the Russian Academy of Arts, in the Kremlin, in the Government House of the Russian Federation, in the Museum of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, in the Museum of Books and Printing in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in the Ukrainian House (Kiev), in many cities of Russia and abroad, including in Prague, Berlin, Beijing, Tokyo, New York... The closer you get acquainted with Nesterenko’s work, the more amazing the scale of his activity is. He can simultaneously conduct several large projects, and almost annually holds several personal exhibitions in the country. At the same time, the concept of “Russia” for the artist also includes Ukraine and Belarus, which he spoke about more than once.

The previous exhibition in the Manege Central Exhibition Hall took place in the summer of 2010 and was called “Russia - a connection of times.” The current exhibition of Vasily Nesterenko is called “Our glory is the Russian state!” Consonant and symbolic!

The exhibition is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the artist and, strange as it may seem, to the 35th anniversary of his creative activity. I asked the master about this oddity.

“I drew portraits on envelopes at school. There was such a job. The first time I participated in the exhibition was in the 7th grade. In general, you need to set maximum goals for yourself. If you don’t try, nothing will happen,” he said.

Vasily Nesterenko writes in the realistic manner of Russian classical painting and works in various genres. The basis of the new exhibition is historical works reflecting turning points in Russian history: “Deliverance from the Time of Troubles” (a fragment of the picture is in the photo) , “Death of the Invasion”, “Moscow meets the heroes of Poltava”, “We will defend Sevastopol!”, “Triumph of the Russian Fleet”, “We are Russians, God is with us!” and others.

“For me, history is not just events. This is a reason to speak in the language of history about the present,” said Vasily Nesterenko. - “Getting rid of turmoil” is an important topic. The Time of Troubles is always relevant for Russia... 1612. The people repent, and the whole course of history has changed. Archbishop Arseny said recently that “our Fatherland is now on the scales of God’s justice.”

The artist worked for four years to create this grandiose canvas.

When the artist is asked about historical parallels, he explains his position as follows: ““We will defend Sevastopol” for me means - we will defend the Kuril Islands, Kaliningrad, Crimea, we will defend Moscow, ultimately. The historical theme, in my understanding, is a bridge to the present and the future.”

Let us add that historical painting requires detailed knowledge of the era depicted, even the weather conditions. For example, the fact that on the day of Peter I’s victorious entry into Moscow, it was snowing, as shown in Nesterenko’s canvas.

By the way, on the day of the press conference the air was frosty, fresh and transparent, as happens in Moscow at the turn of January-February. And when I went outside, the sun was already setting, but it was still shining in the golden domes of the Temple of the Great Ascension, flooding the upper floors of the houses on Nikitsky Boulevard with bright light, and with slanting rays touching the roofs of the ancient buildings of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street. And above all this splendor hung a new moon filled with silver light. Believe it or not, the phases of the moon today almost coincide with those observed in 1917. And in Moscow today there are also many exhibitions open, both good and different. “But his (Nesterenko’s) paintings have spiritual magnetism,” noted Alexander Rozhkin. And Vladislav Kononov emphasized: “How much you need to know in order not to end up on trial by professional historians. But they have no complaints against the artist. Vasily Nesterenko’s paintings are a weapon in the fight against falsifications of history. Nesterenko’s mission is to bring historical truth.”

“For me, the First World War is the pinnacle of the Russian spirit,” said Vasily Nesterenko. The painting “We are Russians, God is with us!” and is dedicated to the First World War, or more precisely, to one of its heroic episodes. The Germans could not take the weakly defended Osovets fortress for a long time and decided to release gases on the Russian troops. When a thick cloud of a poisonous mixture of chlorine and phosgene, driven by a tailwind, approached the Russian positions, even the grass withered, and our soldiers and officers did not have gas masks. The Germans took clubs studded with nails and moved to “clear the territory” - to finish off the surviving soldiers. But the poisoned Russians, doomed to death, rose to hand-to-hand combat. “Attack of the Dead” - this impulse of several hundred warriors was later called.

Russian newspapers of that time asked: “What does “enlightened” Europe bring us? Poisonous gases and clubs for finishing off Russian soldiers. Cultured barbarians! Europe's attitude towards Russia has not changed since then. And the questions to “civilized” countries remain the same.

And the series of works “Oh, Russian Land!” is a true anthem of Central Russia with its poetic nature, temples and monasteries. “He is devoted to the Fatherland,” Alexander Rozhkin emphasized during the press conference. - His art fosters an attitude towards one’s roots. In his work, Russia appears as a Phoenix bird. This is about caring for future generations."

“They ask,” says the artist, “why don’t you paint the volcanoes of Indonesia? Let others draw them, and I will draw our mountains, our rivers. And when I find myself in an icy river in Altai, I know why I’m doing it, but in Indonesia I don’t know.” A series of landscape paintings was the result of the master’s creative trips to Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, the Sayan Mountains and Lake Baikal. Works dedicated to the nature of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East are combined into a cycle called “On the Far Frontiers”.

Vasily Nesterenko’s real creative success was his participation in recreating the murals of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. For this purpose, a team of almost three hundred artists was created to complete the work in the shortest possible time. The most difficult task required not only the highest professional skill, but also the ability to paint in the manner of the greatest painters of the 19th century.

Vasily worked fourteen hours every day. As befits an icon painter, he fasted and prayed before starting work, and then climbed the scaffolding and painted the temple, doing it without any drawings or grids, directly. It was he who painted the paintings “The Resurrection of Christ”, “Apostle Matthew”, “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem”, “The Baptism of the Lord” for the Cathedral, and painted the cycle of Theotokos icons and the Shroud, “The Last Supper” and paintings of the Gospel cycle for the Patriarchal refectory. “The temple has been restored the way Russia deserves it now,” said Vasily Nesterenko.

Before starting painting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the artist completed work on the icon “Image of the Mother of God Unexpected Joy” and on the painting “The Crucifixion”.

And there was also Athos in his life, where for almost a year he led a group of artists who, with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and the elders of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery, painted the temple of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon in Stary Rusik.

It's almost 3500 sq. m! During the press conference, Vasily Nesterenko noted: “They say Athos is heaven on earth, but heaven on earth is difficult.”

Female images play a significant role in the artist’s work. The female portraits he created, as he says, always emphasize the advantages of their models. Let’s say the painting “Alena” depicts a girl with a huge bouquet of daisies. The heroine of the painting “Indian Summer”, a girl from the Russian outback, stands in a thin dress and rubber boots near a fence overgrown with weeds... The portraits “Girl Dreams” and “Premonition of Love”, imbued with subtle lyricism, are also dedicated to the theme of female expectation.

But, I think, the painting “Russian Madonna” makes the strongest impression in this series. Until recently, I did not know that it depicts the artist’s wife Olga and son Vanya. And in the painting “Spring” there is also Olga...

A portrait of his mother, Galina Vasilievna, occupies a very special place in the artist’s work. It was his mother who helped Vasily become an artist. From her comes the love for the native Fatherland.

According to experts, the most succinct image of the Motherland is reflected in the epic painting by Vasily Nesterov “Oh, Russian Land!” The line is taken from “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” (Oh, Russian land! You are already over the hill!) In this brilliant poem of antiquity, the Russian land is perceived as something united, as the property of a people coming from one root, despite strife, strife and troubled times...

But, as Vasily Nesterenko said, “the works must be watched.” And throughout the press conference, on the wall of the spacious room, a fragment of the painting “Deliverance from the Troubles” was shown in front of the journalists’ eyes. And in response to the question whether he likes giving interviews, the master said: “Telling is not my profession. It’s not my face that should be known, but my work.”

Many of the master’s paintings will be exhibited for the first time. And not at all for the sake of a compliment, Alexander Rozhkin noted: “This is not just an exhibition, this is a phenomenon in the cultural life of Russia.”

Let's listen to competent opinion. And let us remind you that Vasily Nesterenko’s personal exhibition “Our Glory is the Russian State!” will be held in the Manege Central Exhibition Hall from February 10 to March 3, 2017. And the opening will take place tomorrow, February 9.

Especially for "Century"

The article was published within the framework of the socially significant project “Russia and the Revolution. 1917 – 2017” using state support funds allocated as a grant in accordance with the order of the President of the Russian Federation dated December 8, 2016 No. 96/68-3 and on the basis of a competition held by the All-Russian public organization “Russian Union of Rectors”.

In Moscow, in the Manege building, an exhibition of folk artist Vasily Nesterenko opened. On the first day, only the press and dignitaries were invited to the opening ceremony. The first came, the second turned out to have a very busy schedule.

Correspondents, photographers and editors carefully wandered among the huge number of paintings, peering at the images that the artist presented to them.

In general, there is nothing to criticize or praise him for. Except for the size of the paintings and their abundance. But, as one of the visitors said, Vasily Nesterenko clearly does not apply paint to such canvases. I don’t know what the commentator meant, but it also seemed to me that the characters in the paintings were not depicted with much clarity. However, obviously, Nesterenko did not pursue the goal of repeating reality exactly. Apparently, his task is to convey a hint, and then let the viewer think out and complete everything in his mind - to the extent of his development.

The general focus of Nesterenko’s paintings is religion. The artist understands the term “art” as fantasy on themes of biblical characters. They never existed in reality, but Vasily Nesterenko is considered a painter. Painting and fiction are two incompatible concepts, but the good thing about fiction, including those on religious themes, is that the strength of the visual image depends on the degree of the artist’s immersion in the topic.

Vasily Nesterenko considers himself sick. Of course, in an allegorical sense: “Art is like a disease. Many do not become infected. Many of those who become infected recover sooner or later. And only a few “get sick” all their lives. So I’m one of those who got infected for life.” This phrase is from his interview with the magazine “Heir” (No. 16).

The image is good, and through it the general message of the exhibition should be understood: a painter who did not present a single painting, but who amazed the audience with the scale of his immersion in religion. If we don’t resort to antagonistic verbiage, then it would be more correct to call Vasily Nesterenko an icon painter. This follows from his works.

The political aspect of the exhibition is also very obvious and should also be looked at inside out. Firstly, the Ukrainian artist became a “people’s artist” in Russia. Although it is not known whether the Russian people know that such high titles go to Ukrainians with a clear defeat in the rights of real folk artists - Russian artists?

However, if you look at this side of painting through the easel of politics, then here Ukrainian roots are turned inside out. Vasily Nesterenko’s work began in the USA: in November 1991, a personal exhibition took place at the City Bank Gallery in New York. Then, in March 1992 - a personal exhibition at the Ambassador Gallery in SOHO, New York. Then in April 1992 - an exhibition in the building of the National Westminster Bank, New York.

As a result, the real Ukrainian and future People's Artist of Russia was accepted as a member of the American League of Professional Artists in the same year. Then the continuation of exhibitions in the USA, after the abundance of which there is no doubt that this country has done too much for Vasily Nesterenko to be considered his stepmother.

The United States became the godfather of the future great artist. Today there is a lot of gossip on the topic of recruitment, so the American period in the life of Vasily Nesterenko very openly signals to the public that the US intelligence services fell in love with the Ukrainian because he brought them Russian pictorial culture, which reflected Greek and Jewish religious motifs.

Such cosmopolitanism, as a result, became isolated on the monument of victorious democracy: the democracy of the USA, which was victorious in the USSR. We are talking about the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In February 1995, the future People's Artist of Russia, who had returned from the United States and was already fully titled and recognized throughout the Western World, began work on sketches for paintings in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

According to Senka and the hat: in 1995 Vasily Nesterenko became a member of the Moscow Union of Artists. Then in 1996 - 1997 he had a personal exhibition at the Mercer Gallery, New York. After another portion of instigations from the United States, Vasily Nesterenko immediately went to the Kremlin, where his personal exhibition took place in the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. The President of Russia at that time was a slave of the United States and the lowest slave of Israel, Boris Yeltsin.

Thus, God himself took Vasily Nesterenko away from real painting. He never painted Russian landscapes or Russian portraits. But the walls of the Manege sagged under huge panels with images of saints, clearly demonstrating that Vasily Nesterenko is really sick of art, but he is sick of it in the square - through splitting into religion.

Hence the recognition: 1999 – Honored Artist of the Russian Federation; 2000 – Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, II degree, of the Russian Orthodox Church for paintings in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior; 2003 – Patriarchal Certificate for the creation of new paintings in the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov; 2004 – People’s Artist of the Russian Federation; 2004 – Order of Andrei Rublev, III degree from the Moscow Patriarchate.

As a response message to the US intelligence services, which gave such an amazing start to the picturesque iconography of Vasily Nesterenko, the Russian intelligence services were noted for their alternativeness: 2010 - FSB Award in the Fine Arts category.

The ability to hang out is paramount for an artist. But at present, Vasily Nesterenko has clearly fallen out of the picture. Some associate the beginning of his descent with the overload of his canvases with a religious theme. In particular, the Jews are extremely negative about the fact that although the title of “People’s Artist” went to one of them, it was frankly not according to the modern trend. There was not a single rabbi at the opening of the exhibition.

Others attribute the problems to the fact that they see in Vasily Nesterenko a contender for the post of head of the Russian Academy of Arts, where Zurab Tsereteli, an equally successful artist, is now present. If this is so, then soon we will witness a behind-the-scenes fight between a Ukrainian and a Georgian for the next post in a Russian educational institution.

The fact that the clouds began to thicken over the icons of Vasily Nesterenko was shown by the opening of the exhibition, at which there were no dignitaries, and even the Minister of Culture did not arrive to document the significance of the figure of the people's artist. This blatant spit by the authorities in the direction of outstanding religious paintings was successfully dampened by the abundance of priests and various hierarchs of the Church. But also - everything is low and low...

Marina Vetrova