NESTEROV, Mikhail Vasilyevich

NESTEROV, Mikhail Vasilyevich (31.5.1862, Ufa — 18.10.1942, Moscow), Painter. Merited Artist of the RSFSR (1942). Laureate of the Stalin Award (1941). Awarded with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1942). N’s works are distinguished by the spirituality of images, the transmission of innermost feelings, the new picturesque and plastic language that combines the realism of the painting style of the 19th century and the stylization of the forms and conventionality characteristic of the Modern style. In the early period of his career, he adhered to the realistic genre; since late 1980s, he focused on the religious and moral theme. In his works Holy Russia, Path to Christ, In Russia (The Soul of the People) he affirms religion may save Russia. He is the author of many portraits and landscape paintings. He worked in the field of monumental art. In 2017, the RB established the State Award named after N. in the field of Art and the History of Art. A square named after N. was founded in Ufa.