Nikolai Sysoev was born in 1918 in the village of Slanskoye, which was part of Tambov Region at the time, but now belongs to Lipetsk Region. The painter lived in Slanskoye until he was 13 years old before moving to Moscow, where he received an art education. After finishing his studies, Sysoev decided to pursue his artistic endeavours closer to nature, settling in Kalinin (now Tver) Region. But he never forgot his native village of Slanskoye. As a student, he would spend his summer vacations here, making sketches and pencil portraits of the locals.
Sysoev always wanted to be ‘closer to the land.’ He was fascinated by the idea of depicting the simple everyday life of collective farmers, a life that was so dear to him. The villagers have their own history in Sysoev’s works. Their images are honest and intimate, as if they are not posing at all. They reflect the spirit of the age.
The portrait drawing A Young Woman from the Village of Slanskoye was made in 1939, when Sysoev was studying at the Moscow State Academy Art Institute (now named after Vasily Surikov). As a student, the young artist made great efforts to improve his skills, often doing far more than was expected of him. This quick pencil drawing evokes the charm and cheerful disposition of the young girl. Not only does Sysoev succeed in giving a realistic portrayal of the girl, but he also manages to convey her emotions. Though many of the artist’s portrait drawings and sketches served as material for larger canvases, this does not diminish their significance as works in their own right.
Such living, yet at the same time detailed sketches reveal the greatness of the artist, who seeks to depict life as honestly as he can. Sysoev had the rare talent of a pencil artist, which is clear not only in his graphic works but also in his paintings.
From 1980 onwards, Sysoev regularly visited his native Slanskoye, working and dedicating his time to community work. In 1987, he founded the Leo Tolstoy People’s Picture Gallery in the village, which was renamed after him in 1997. For the most part, the collection includes works by the artist and his wife Nina Skorubskaya.
Sysoev always wanted to be ‘closer to the land.’ He was fascinated by the idea of depicting the simple everyday life of collective farmers, a life that was so dear to him. The villagers have their own history in Sysoev’s works. Their images are honest and intimate, as if they are not posing at all. They reflect the spirit of the age.
The portrait drawing A Young Woman from the Village of Slanskoye was made in 1939, when Sysoev was studying at the Moscow State Academy Art Institute (now named after Vasily Surikov). As a student, the young artist made great efforts to improve his skills, often doing far more than was expected of him. This quick pencil drawing evokes the charm and cheerful disposition of the young girl. Not only does Sysoev succeed in giving a realistic portrayal of the girl, but he also manages to convey her emotions. Though many of the artist’s portrait drawings and sketches served as material for larger canvases, this does not diminish their significance as works in their own right.
Such living, yet at the same time detailed sketches reveal the greatness of the artist, who seeks to depict life as honestly as he can. Sysoev had the rare talent of a pencil artist, which is clear not only in his graphic works but also in his paintings.
From 1980 onwards, Sysoev regularly visited his native Slanskoye, working and dedicating his time to community work. In 1987, he founded the Leo Tolstoy People’s Picture Gallery in the village, which was renamed after him in 1997. For the most part, the collection includes works by the artist and his wife Nina Skorubskaya.
