"Russian Venus" has returned to Nizhny Novgorod

      October 11, 2025 08:00 Culture and Leisure

      One of Boris Kustodiev’s most famous works — the painting "Russian Venus" — has once again taken its place in the exhibition of the Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum. This was announced by representatives of the museum on their official social media.

      The canvas spent almost five months in Moscow, where it was displayed at a large-scale exhibition (16+) at the Tretyakov Gallery. Now the work has returned home, and residents of Nizhny Novgorod can see it in person again.

      The painting was created in 1925–1926 and became one of the artist’s last major works. It is notable for its unusual execution: "Russian Venus" was painted on the reverse side of another Kustodiev canvas — "On the Terrace" (1906), which depicts the artist’s family having tea.

      Equally interesting is the history of how the painting entered the museum’s collection. In 1933 the writer Maxim Gorky purchased it from the artist’s family and donated it to the Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum. Since then "Russian Venus" has become an integral part of its collection and one of the iconic works for the people of Nizhny Novgorod.

      Thus, townspeople and visitors to the city once again have the opportunity to see the famous canvas in person.

      Earlier it was reported that the Writers' House had begun operating in the restored Shchelokov House in Nizhny Novgorod.

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