Nikolai Nikolaevich Zhukov - a famous Soviet artist who worked in the genre of poster painting, easel portrait, color and black and white graphics. It was Zhukov who created a lot of memorable designs of the Soviet era - the artist created a picture for the cigarette “Kazbek”, as well as many famous posters of the war years, such as “The Enemy Will Not Pass!”, “Help” and many others. The master also made a considerable contribution to the art of peacetime, illustrating children's books and fashion magazines.
The merits of the legendary Soviet artist Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov were highly appreciated by the Soviet government: the master repeatedly received prestigious state awards, twice becoming a laureate of the Stalin Prize, during his lifetime he received the titles of “People's Artist of the RSFSR” and “People's Artist of the USSR”.
Biography
Nikolai Zhukov was born on November 19, 1908 in the city of Moscow. His father worked as a lawyer in the public service. When the future artist was eight years old, his father moved his family to Yelets, where he found a higher-paying job, opening a private legal practice. Despite a fairly good salary, it was difficult for the family to survive in these years, unclear for the history of Russia. Father was preparing his son for an officer career, which could provide the boy with a good future, but little Nikolai did not have a predisposition to military affairs, devoting all his free time to drawing. The boy had amazing abilities and learned to draw himself, without the help of teachers or older peers.
Later, when the fire of the world revolution broke out in 1917, Nikolai’s skills would be very useful for a starving family. The young breadwinner tirelessly painted portraits to order, playing cards and postcards, purchasing food and necessary things for the family with the money raised.
early years
Having made up his mind to become an artist, Nikolai enters the Nizhny Novgorod Art and Industry College, which graduates with honors ahead of schedule, immediately submitting documents to the Saratov Art College named after A.P. Bogolyubov. Inborn talent, the ability to grasp everything on the fly and a predisposition to hard work allow Nikolai to achieve tremendous success in his chosen field.
The paintings of the artist Nikolai Nikolaevich Zhukov, painted by him during his studies at the technical school, repeatedly took first places at student and youth exhibitions of proletarian art.
In 1930, Zhukov went to the army for military service. After distribution, the artist was sent to the Caucasus, to the mountain artillery. After serving, at his own request he became commander of an artillery battery, remaining in the ranks of the Red Army.
Illustrator
Demobilized two years later, Zhukov moved to live and work in Moscow, where he received a large number of orders thanks to the patronage of his longtime friend Sergei Sakharov.
The hardworking guy becomes an illustrator of the products of several metropolitan printing houses at once, tirelessly carrying out orders, creating drawings for candy wrappers, layouts of magazine covers, illustrations for books and other print publications.
Soon, the artist is noticed by the editorial board of the elite Sovietland and Soviet Travel magazines, which were issued specifically for export abroad, and from 1933 to 1934 Nikolai entered the official staff of the designers of these publications, having managed to illustrate many articles and create a large number of covers.
Since 1932, the biography of Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov has changed dramatically for the better: the artist is hired for a permanent job in the country's most famous literary publishing house, Profizdat, where the young man works under the strict guidance of N. A. Mikhailov.
War years
The beginning of the war caught the artist in Moscow. Despite the importance of his artistic craft, Zhukov decides to volunteer for the front. Once in the infantry troops, he not only does not abandon his passion, but also creates a huge number of sketches of scenes of military operations, soldier's life, draws portraits of many military men who in the future became heroes of the Soviet Union, as well as ordinary soldiers. The work of Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov warmed the artist himself and his fellow soldiers during the harsh war years. The master’s works were regularly published in the military newspaper “To Defeat the Enemy” and very quickly gained popularity among the Soviet army.
Campaign work
Zhukov quickly secured the title of one of the best agitator artists, creating a large number of motivating posters in the war years. The well-recognized style of the artist could not leave the audience indifferent. Inspired by the work of Nicholas, Soviet soldiers took new frontiers, moving further and further beyond the West.
It was Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov who created some of the most recognizable, legendary posters of the Great Patriotic War: “Defend Moscow!”, “Survive!”, “Beat to death!”, “To the West!” and many others.
A common feature for all the artist’s works is the image of the Russian avenger soldier, a hero soldier who, sparing no strength, protects his native land from Nazi invaders.
The artist’s works acquire all-Union significance and recognition after their publication in the Pravda newspaper. To Zhukov comes not only fame, but also new instructions from the government. In 1945, he was sent to the Nuremberg trials as a war correspondent, from where he returned a month and a half later with a lot of material.
Graphic arts
In the late thirties, the artist begins a series of graphic sketches on the images of children. Many of the works created at that time became illustrations for various books or magazine articles. The artist is interested not only in the physical image of the child, but also in its psychological component, Zhukov is interested in observing the projection of an adult in a small one, the process of character formation.
The theme of childhood and the child’s life becomes one of the cornerstones in the creative concept of Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov. The artist remains faithful to the chosen theme, each time enthusiastically illustrating children's books and creating more and more portraits of "little people with a big heart."
The master creates most of the works of this period from nature, often observing playing neighboring children while relaxing in the country.
Art style
One of the criteria for the creative work of Nikolai Nikolaevich Zhukov was the technical excellence of the work. The master paid great attention to the careful drawing of even the most insignificant details of the work, trying to make the work of art look as realistic as possible.
The artist did not prioritize the subject of the work, and any order was executed efficiently. That is why the paintings of Nikolai Nikolayevich Zhukov differ sharply in amazing quality, even if this is just a sketch for the design of candy wrappers for sweets or packs of cigarettes.
The master actively used a rich technical arsenal, never giving preference to any one instrument in his artistic activity. Wide and narrow brushes, tempera, spray, oil paints, crayons, charcoal, graphite, gold, bronze, gouache: the artist used absolutely any means of self-expression, each time finding some special technique for conveying the emotions and atmosphere of what was happening.
Also in the works of Zhukov, the position of vertical elements is extremely important, due to the inclined position of which the master successfully transmitted the dynamism of the plot. The artist’s works turned out to be bright and as if striving forward. Such a feeling arises in the viewer precisely because of the unique technique of depicting elongated figures created by the master.
Exhibitions
At the beginning of the thirties Nikolai Nikolaevich Zhukov, whose photo more than once appeared in newspapers on the second pages, began to actively organize his own exhibitions. With the support of the USSR Academy of Arts, the master repeatedly exhibited his paintings in many cities of Russia, Germany, China, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Italy and France.
Art critics and art historians around the world noted the uniqueness and originality of Zhukov's works, as well as their incredible importance in the victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
Government awards
The personal life of Nikolai Nikolaevich Zhukov remained in the shadows, giving way to social and cultural activities. In addition to the awards received during the war, the artist more than once received a large number of prizes and incentives from a number of world art unions, as well as from the government of the USSR.
Nikolai Zhukov twice became a laureate of the Stalin Prize, which he received for "faithfully reflecting the life of the Soviet people during the war" and "creating campaign materials during the war."
In 1971, the master was awarded the Gold Medal of the Academy of Arts of the Soviet Union. Colleagues recognized Zhukov's invaluable contribution to the restoration of the Borodino panorama, as well as the creation of an art gallery of portraits of participants in the revolutionary movements of the world.
The following year, Nikolai Nikolayevich became the holder of the title “Honorary Citizen of the city of Yelets”. Despite the constant trips, Zhukov loved this provincial town very much and for a long time lived and worked in it. Today there is open a house-museum to them. N.N. Zhukov.