A legend’s brush reveals the secrets of Ryazan’s soul: paintings by the legendary Viktor Ivanov on display at the National Centre RUSSIA in Ryazan
Works
by the People's Artist of the USSR and a member of the Russian Academy of Arts,
Viktor Ivanov, are on display for everyone to see at the National Centre RUSSIA
in the Ryazan Region. The exposition "Viktor Ivanov. Only What Touches the
Heart" is dedicated to the Ryazan countryside and its people, who became
one of the central themes of the artist's work. The temporary exposition hall
features works from recent years. Admission is free, with advance booking required.
The National Centre RUSSIA in the Ryazan Region opened on 5 October 2026,
becoming the first branch in the Central Federal District and the fourth in the
country. On the branch's opening day, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the
Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Maxim Oreshkin, the Director General
of the National Centre RUSSIA, Natalia Virtuozova, the Governor of the Ryazan
Region, Pavel Malkov, and other distinguished guests viewed the renowned
artist's exposition.
"Viktor Ivanov continues to create at the age of 102. The exposition consists
entirely of works from his personal collection and makes a tremendous
impression. His works really must be seen in person. The artist will try to
visit Ryazan soon to meet his admirers. This is an event in the region's life
that should not be missed, so I invite everyone to visit the exposition,"
emphasised the head of the region, Pavel Malkov.
The Ryazan countryside has held a special place in Viktor Ivanov's work since
the late 1950s. It was then that he discovered this land and forged a lasting connection
with it. The artist lived in the Ryazan Region for an extended period, worked
from life, talked to local residents and made sketches, preserving his
impressions of these encounters in studies and drawings. Decades later, many of
these works became the basis for new paintings. Viktor Ivanov returns to motifs
that first appeared in his work many years ago, viewing them through the lens
of his extensive experience in life and art.
"The exposition features 44 works that Viktor Ivanov created after his
100th birthday. The artist's work is closely connected with the Ryazan
countryside. His mother came from the village of Ryassy in the Shilovsky District,
where Viktor Ivanovich spent his summer holidays as a child. It was here that
he formed his earliest impressions, which later became a source of inspiration
for his art. He subsequently returned to the Ryazan countryside to capture its
landscapes and people. He became a true chronicler of Ryazan's villages, and
his works are imbued with a deep love for his native land," said the Head
of the Viktor Ivanov Art Gallery department at the Ryazan Art Museum, Irina
Pavlova.
One of the exposition's central works is "Ryazan Meadows". The canvas
depicts women turning hay. Through this scene of rural labour, the artist
explores people's connection to the land, dignity and the constructive purpose
of everyday work. Another important portrayal of the Ryazan countryside is
"Evening in Ryasy". Women are returning home after a day's work, and
the artist transforms an ordinary moment of village life into a scene of
tranquillity and inner harmony. Another work, "View from the Artist's
Studio. House in Isady", introduces viewers to the landscape that
surrounded the artist.
The exposition also includes Crimean scenes: a separate series dedicated to a place that played an important role in the artist's creative life. The painting "Goat Valley" recaptures the sense of freedom and happiness he felt on first encountering Crimea.
Viktor Ivanov is one of the leading representatives of the "Severe Style". His works are held in the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum, while his self-portrait is part of the collection of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
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