Nikolai Burtov was born in 1956 in Moscow. He is an Honored Artist of Russia, a member of the Painting Commission of the Union of Artists of Russia, and a graduate of the Moscow Art School “In Memory of 1905.”
“Painting is my life,” Nikolai says. His works are vibrant and dynamic, filled with a palpable energy of life and constant change. Burtov has a deep affection for the Russian provinces, for every corner of them. His paintings often reflect on the idea of the “portrait of a house” — a search for its essence and identity.
His art is highly distinctive, yet it maintains a strong connection to the Moscow school of landscape realism, echoing the traditions of artists such as Savrasov, Korovin, Levitan, and Zhukovsky.
Burtov works primarily from life. Each landscape, often monumental in scale, is completed within three to six hours. At times, he develops works in the studio based on plein air studies, but always returns outdoors to complete them. His main goal is to capture a living impression — whether it is the warmth of spring sunlight, the тревога of an autumn wind, the melancholy of rain, or the intensity of summer heat.
Several times a year, Burtov travels to new regions — cities and villages — to work en plein air. He notes that each place carries its own character, leaving a distinct imprint on both the imagery and the color palette of his work.
Nikolai Burtov has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions in Russia and abroad, as well as in international art expeditions and plein air projects. He has held over 30 solo exhibitions. His works are included in museum collections and private collections.
