During his life, Vladimir Vasilyevich Smirnov (1948–2003) created a large number of various sculptural portraits of Kostroma artists he found kindred spirits. One of whom was Nikolay Sergeevich Pshizov, whom the sculptor had known for many years.

Vladimir Smirnov began sculpting Pshizov’s portrait from life when he himself was 25 years old, and his friend was just over 30. He worked on the sculpture for several sessions, but never finished it. The desire to return to his friend’s image came up 15 years later.

The sculptor worked simultaneously on two variants. On July 25, 1988, Vladimir Smirnov wrote in his diary: “I sculpted two portraits of Pshizov. In the first one I was trying to figure out the correct expressive means. In the second case, these means are too large, and yet these shifts of textures and planes are promising something strong and intense. This is something I haven’t touched yet.”

Smirnov recalled that “In life, Nikolai was very close to being the concept of ‘artist’ personified. His assessment of other artists was guided by his understanding of art and was sometimes simplified until transparent.”

Alexander Pavlovich Durilov, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, recalled:

The sculpture shows a thin elongated face, every feature of which is pointed, and very tense. The eyes are full of sadness. Every detail in the sculpture radiates a complex, deep, and dramatic nature with a free and independent character. The 1988 sculpture was cast in metal only in 2007, after Smirnov’s death.