Original Oil Painting
Nikolai Gorov - Oil on Board
“Zaboloda (Beyond the Marsh)”
A rare postwar Soviet landscape capturing quiet rural lyricism in 1948 Russia
Key Details
Artist: Nikolai Aleksandrovich Gorov (1919–2000)
Title: “Zaboloda (Beyond the Marsh)”
Medium: Oil on board
Support: Board
Signature: Signed lower right: Н. Горов – 48 г.
Dimensions: Image: 24 × 19 cm (9.4 × 7.5 in) • Frame: 34 × 30 cm (13.4 × 11.8 in)
Condition: Artwork in excellent condition; minor surface wear to frame, structurally sound.
Provenance: Export-approved USSR work; later UK private collection.
Description
A tranquil and atmospheric postwar landscape painted in 1948 by Soviet realist Nikolai Gorov. “Zaboloda (Beyond the Marsh)” reflects a moment of calm following the upheaval of WWII, with reflective waters, soft tonal transitions, and expressive yet controlled brushwork. The composition captures the quiet lyricism of the Russian countryside, demonstrating the artist’s sensitivity to light, mood, and natural space.
This is a rare early work, created shortly after the artist’s return from military service, and embodies the transition from wartime experience to renewed artistic expression. Its intimacy of scale and painterly confidence make it both a historically significant and visually compelling piece.
About the Artist
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Gorov (1919–2000) was a Soviet realist painter born in Noginsk, Moscow Region. He trained at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts before his studies were interrupted by WWII, during which he served with distinction and received honours including the Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Patriotic War. Returning to painting after the war, he became an active member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and exhibited nationally. His works were published by Soviet Artist, and he held the title of Honoured Artist of Adzharia while serving on the Artistic Council of the Noginsk Art Workshop.
Estimated Date
1948
Provenance & Notes
Painted in the Noginsk District, Moscow Region, in 1948. The work was retained by the artist or his studio before being approved for export by the USSR Ministry of Culture, bearing the official export stamp verso. It later entered a private UK collection during the mid-20th century alongside a companion work dated 1950.
