Located at 8/2 Tverskaya Street, discover the world of Dmitry Nalbandyan at The Museum-Studio of people’s painter of the USSR Dmitry Nalbandyan. Since 2018, it has been a part of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. The Museum-Studio of Dmitry Nalbandyan offers a unique glimpse into the life and work of this prominent Soviet artist.
Dmitry Nalbandyan was a winner of two Stalin Prizes and a member of the Academy of Arts. In 1956, Nalbandyan was granted a spacious studio on the ninth floor of this very building. It became more than just a workspace. The studio was a meeting point for artists, intellectuals, public figures, and political leaders.
The Museum-Studio of Dmitry Nalbandyan first opened in November 1992. It was initially known as the Workshop of the People’s Artist Dmitry Nalbandyan. This was made possible by a decree from the Moscow City Government. In June 1993, shortly before his death, Dmitry Nalbandyan donated 36 of his paintings to the city. These works formed the basis of the museum’s first permanent exhibition. The collection grew with contributions from the artist’s family. They added graphic works, paintings, decorative art, publications, and photographs.
Inside The Museum-Studio of Dmitry Nalbandyan, you will find three exhibition halls. One hall is dedicated to paintings. Another showcases graphic works. The third serves as a memorial room. The painting hall features landscapes and still lifes. Here, you can see works like Komsomolka Terikhova from 1934. There is also a Portrait of Test Pilot Georgy Mosolov from 1966 and Vladimir Ilyich and Felix Dzerzhinsky from 1988. You will also find sketches for monumental paintings such as Nikolay Bauman’s Funeral and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s Speech on Red Square in 1919.
The graphics hall at The Museum-Studio of Dmitry Nalbandyan displays sketches and drawings. Travel albums from Nalbandyan’s trips to India, Italy, and France are present here. You will see a gallery of portraits of Soviet political and artistic figures. A series of photographs from Nalbandyan’s personal archive receives special attention.
Dmitry Nalbandyan was born in Tbilisi. He was a student of Yevgeni Lansere. He started his career in animation. He worked at the State Film Industry and the Odessa Film Studio. In 1931, he moved to Moscow and eventually found fame. He worked as a cartoonist for the magazine Crocodile. He was also an animator at Mosfilm studio and a poster artist for Izogiz publishing house.
Nalbandyan met Sergo Ordzhonikidze, a friend of his father. Ordzhonikidze introduced Nalbandyan to Sergei Kirov and the party elite. Soon, Nalbandyan painted his first large canvas, Kirov’s Speech at the 17th Congress of the Communist Party. This painting was exhibited at the State Museum of Fine Arts. It was reproduced in the newspaper Pravda. Nalbandyan became known as the first brush of the Politburo. He became the master Soviet ceremonial portrait painter. He created portraits of Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev.
The Museum-Studio of Dmitry Nalbandyan is more than just a display of art. It is a journey into the world of a man who captured the essence of an era. His art reflected the political climate and the spirit of the Soviet Union. The museum offers a chance to understand the life and times of Dmitry Nalbandyan. It shows his contribution to Soviet art and history.