Young Specialists from the Presidential Library Attended the Opening of an Exhibition of Historical Paintings by Victor Matorin

On August 13, 2026, young specialists from the Presidential Library attended the opening of the exhibition «Pages of the History of Russian Statehood» by artist Victor Matorin in St. Petersburg. The event was organized by the Youth Council of the Presidential Library.

Victor Matorin, a master of large-scale historical paintings, presented an exhibition at the Museum-Institute of the Roerich Family that offers a fresh perspective on the past and showcases the dialogue between the artist and the history and culture of his Fatherland, embodied in art.

The participants of the event familiarized themselves with the canvases depicting pivotal moments in Russian history and had a conversation with the artist. Victor Matorin explained how a painting is created, what techniques are used when working on a canvas, and shared the creative secrets of his craft.

Victor Matorin works in the best traditions of the Russian academic school. The main themes of his work are key moments in Russian history, Russian culture, and the defense of the Fatherland. The canvases of this famous Russian artist depict national heroes and reflect key events in the formation of our country: Dmitry Donskoy and the Battle of Kulikovo, the formation of a unified Russian state with Moscow as its center, Peter the Great and the creation of the Russian fleet.

The Presidential Library and Victor Matorin are linked by a long-standing partnership, within the framework of which several joint projects have been successfully implemented.

Thus, in 2022, a large-scale solo exhibition entitled «Victor Matorin. Images of Russian History in Painting. XXI Century» was opened at the Presidential Library in St. Petersburg. A similarly titled online project dedicated to the artist’s work and this exhibition is available on the library’s portal.

The digitized series of watercolors by Victor Matorin «Ivushki» («Little Willows») (2022) has been transferred to the electronic collection of the Presidential Library. Thanks to the library’s portal, these works are now available to art enthusiasts around the world.

On the Presidential Library’s Rutube channel, you can watch a video recording of a meeting with the artist, during which he spoke about his work, the current state of the historical painting genre, and the development of realism in Russia. The channel also features a video lecture «Victor Matorin: Connecting the Hearts of the Capitals. Remembering the Teacher», dedicated to the artist Ilya Glazunov (1930–2017).

Source: Presidential Library