Nikolay Pavlovich is Anton Chekhov’s elder brother, the second of the six children in the family. He is 22 years old in the photo. From his childhood he enjoyed drawing, did it all the time and, as relatives recalled, he drew on and with whatever was available. He was an observant and sensitive boy, studied music, played the piano and violin.
Nikolay Chekhov completed five classes at the Taganrog Gymnasium and entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, winning the competition of 10 applicants per place. He studied and was friends with Isaac Levitan, Franz Shechtel, and Konstantin Korovin; and his teachers were the artists Vasily Perov, Alexei Savrasov, and Vasily Polenov.
The Chekhovs lived in poverty in Moscow, they often moved and rented cold cheap rooms. All this affected Nikolay’s health, he lost his eyesight and was expelled from the school. When his vision was partially restored, Nicholay worked extensively as a cartoonist and illustrator of magazines and, participated in exhibitions, and received a small silver medal for his work “Sokolnichy Circle”.
Nikolay Chekhov worked in the genres of landscape and still life, was a theater set designer and painted the walls of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Together with Levitan and Korovin, he created sets for “Faust” and “The Mermaid” by Savva Mamontov’s Private Moscow Opera.
Nikolay Chekhov was the first illustrator of the stories by his brother Anton. He designed the cover for his collection “Innocent Speeches” and created original drawings for many other works. Anton Pavlovich appreciated his brother’s talent and constantly criticized his way of life,
Nikolay Chekhov completed five classes at the Taganrog Gymnasium and entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, winning the competition of 10 applicants per place. He studied and was friends with Isaac Levitan, Franz Shechtel, and Konstantin Korovin; and his teachers were the artists Vasily Perov, Alexei Savrasov, and Vasily Polenov.
The Chekhovs lived in poverty in Moscow, they often moved and rented cold cheap rooms. All this affected Nikolay’s health, he lost his eyesight and was expelled from the school. When his vision was partially restored, Nicholay worked extensively as a cartoonist and illustrator of magazines and, participated in exhibitions, and received a small silver medal for his work “Sokolnichy Circle”.
Nikolay Chekhov worked in the genres of landscape and still life, was a theater set designer and painted the walls of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Together with Levitan and Korovin, he created sets for “Faust” and “The Mermaid” by Savva Mamontov’s Private Moscow Opera.
Nikolay Chekhov was the first illustrator of the stories by his brother Anton. He designed the cover for his collection “Innocent Speeches” and created original drawings for many other works. Anton Pavlovich appreciated his brother’s talent and constantly criticized his way of life,
