Traditions of Russian Realism in the Art of Nikolay Petrov

The artist develops the tradition of Russian Realism and enriches his landscapes with the features characteristic of the present. He shares his observations of contemporary period. For example, the philosophical motif of the Road, which is widely found in the work of many Realist artists of the previous centuries, is also present in the paintings of Nikolay Petrov. Moreover, the Road in his paintings acquires special significance in the context of the development of "black gold" deposits. In the paintings of Nikolay Petrov, the features associated with the presence of the man, which are always intrinsic to almost any realistic landscape, demonstrate firm association with the local life and the present. Just like many representatives of Realism in art, Nikolay Petrov mainly works ‘en plein air’, directly in nature. This results in the freshness of colours, lyrical nature and purity of landscapes painted by the artist.

      Not only Nikolay Petrov often shares the beauty of the plains and forests in his paintings, but he also depicts the proud verticals of oil rigs, glorifying the fact that his native region is rich with natural resources. The artist produces large series of paintings dedicated to the extraction of oil, which is one of the most demanded resources on our planet. Such landscapes are strongly associated with the town of Alametyevsk, which is located not far from the largest field of the Volga-Ural oil and gas province in the south of the Republic of Tatarstan. However, Nikolay Petrov is not interested in the mere fixation of reality and landscape. His paintings contain philosophical overtones. Еhe artist reflects on the inexhaustible beauty of his region, which contrasts to the exhaustible reserves of natural resources, he also illustrates human activity, which changes the landscape and adjusts the life of the region. The presence of man in the landscape, the structures and buildings erected by people and the powerful machinery are perceived as something transient, in contrast to the timeless beauty and grandeur of nature, the sky and the infinitely distant line of horizon.

The basis of the creative method of Nikolay Petrov is work ‘en plein air.’ As a rule, the artist completes paintings from life, regardless of the size of the canvas. The approach chosen by Nikolay Petrov allows the artist to capture the state of nature accurately, as well as to create landscapes with the air of picturesque lightness. Notably, not only Nikolay Petrov masterly applies classical technology of oil painting, but he also creates pieces of graphic art and watercolours. In addition, he continues his artistic development in other genres. Portraits, still lifes and thematic compositions of Nikolay Petrov, as well as his numerous landscapes, are characterised by freedom of expression, dynamic brushstrokes and richness of colours.

     Nikolay Petrov has chosen Realism as the method of artistic expression as early as during his student years. He has also mastered the technique of impressionistic sketching to perfection, which contributed to the formation of his own style of painting. In the process of work, Nikolay Petrov carefully studies the subject, but at the same time, he aims preserving the vivacity of perception and the strength of the initial impression of landscape. Along with landscapes associated with the oil province and the city of Almetyevsk, the major oil center of the Republic of Tatarstan, the artist paints views of the surrounding villages and cities. His artworks convey the rhythm of life of the oil capital of Tatarstan, where wide streets and spacious squares with busy traffic suddenly give way to cozy courtyards, historical buildings and sculptures coexisting with new buildings.

      Nikolay Petrov’s main objective is not to copy reality, the artist rather aims to reveal his own lyrical vision of the world through realistic painting techniques.