Viktor Vasnetsov

Viktor Vasnetsov — a historical-religious painter, icon painter, graphic artist, architect, theatrical artist, collector. His creative versatility and appeal to national roots have made him famous worldwide as the multifaceted "singer" of Ancient Russia. His circle included Emperor Nicholas II and Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Pavel Tretyakov and Savva Mamontov, Pavel Chistyakov and Ilya Repin, Fyodor Chaliapin and Mikhail Nesterov. The brightness of his talent was combined with exceptional modesty. Living in St. Petersburg and Moscow, he remained the same Vyatich, the son of a rural priest, always preferring the family circle and the silence of his workshop over official ceremonies and verbose gatherings. Many have written about Viktor Vasnetsov, but no one has spoken of his art better than he himself: "As an Orthodox and sincerely believing Russian, I could not help but place at least a penny candle for the Lord God. Perhaps this candle is made of coarse wax, but it is placed from the heart."