Boris Vasilievich Chesnokov, the painter of Veterans, was born in 1936, in Shuya, Ivanovo region. He studied at Ivanovo School of Art. Later on, he taught drawing at the school, and led his own arts studio. He has lived in Mezhdurechensk since 1972. He worked as an artist and designer in the Tomsk and Usinsk mines. Boris Chesnokov is a man of many talents. He writes poetry and music. And he is a superb painter. In his art, he celebrates his native region, its unique nature and its people.

Portraits are one of his favorite genres. He has painted the popular singer and musician Gennady Zavolokin, the climber Yury Uteshev, and Vladimir Borisovich Smirnov, who designed the Monument of Glory in Mezhdurechensk.

In his works, Boris Chesnokov demonstrates the ability that sets great portrait painters apart from other artists - he depicts on the canvas not only the physical appearance, but also the wide range of different emotions and subtleties of feeling, concerns and moods of his subjects.

Boris Chesnokov’s art frequently contains references to the Great Patriotic War. The painting Veterans depicts Victory Day, an important celebration. In the picture we see residents of Mezhdurechensk who lived through those terrible days and experienced the cruelty and loss that war brings in its wake. Memories of the past, wounds that have never fully healed, a steadfast spirit, and an unconquered courage - all this can be read in the eyes of these men who refused to be broken by their enemy. The picture is a symbol of Victory: it is full of life, the sun is shining and the peaceful sky overhead is blue. This bright colorful scene, with its festive atmosphere, is a delight to look at.

The veterans are shown next to the Monument of Glory, in the city park in Mezhdurechensk. It was opened on November 6, 1981. The monument was designed by Vladimir Borisovich Smirnov, who also oversaw its construction. The central scene in the Monument of Glory’s sculptural decoration shows a soldier saying goodbye to his mother. In the right hand corner we see the Order of the Great Patriotic War. And below it is the date: June 22, 1941. In the central part of the composition is a bas-relief of a soldier, to his left is a figure representing a partisan, while on the right is a ‘heroine of labor’. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Victory, the names of local soldiers who were killed in the war were inscribed on pewter plates, which were affixed to the marble-covered surface of the memorial. Many years have passed since the monument was erected. New generations have grown up since then, but the names of those who died a hero’s death in the Great Patriotic War are still read by the young people of today. It has become a tradition to place flowers at the base of the monument as part of a wedding ceremony. And hundreds of local people, including school children, come to the Monument of Glory every Victory Day.