Michail Nesterov wrote in 1940 in the preface to the memoirs: "I avoided to represent strong passions, preferring them our silent landscape, the person, leading an internal life. And in portraits my, written last years, those people which way was reflexion of thoughts, feelings, their acts" attracted me to themselves.
Throughout the life Nesterov was familiar and is close with many visible creators of Russian culture - writers, actors, scientists and artists.
Many of with whom Nesterov was close, became models for its portraits.
In 1925 Nesterov starts V.M.Vasnetsov's portrait with which has been connected by joint long work on lists of the Vladimir cathedral in Kiev in the nineties.
Late Nesterov the purpose sees in deep comprehension of the certain, concrete person. He is convinced that it is not necessary to invent anything in portraits, it is necessary to be able to see.
As the big Russian original artist he always considered V.Vasnetsov, such and aspired to show it in a portrait, In it nobleness and wisdom of the old master - the poet, the dreamer who has revived the ancient world of the epos, a fairy tale is underlined. Its pose is solemn, it is considerable, it as if sits on a throne, surrounded with golden blinking of a background, as though reflexions of the world created by it. Tired works and for years, it is quiet consciousness of the executed debt. A portrait - as if a farewell sight at the master, a grateful glance.
