Nikolai Dronnikov
Chronicler of Russian emigration
“Dronnikov is the most Russian of French artists and the most French of Russian ones, and this gives his work a unique quality that in the future both his homelands (and other countries) will be able to recognize and claim as their own...”
— Léon Robel, French poet and translatorAbout Nikolai Dronnikov — Russian Painter
Nikolai Dronnikov Russian painter (1930–2025) was a graphic artist, sculptor, and independent publisher best known for his deep psychological portraits and dedication to the Russian émigré community. Read more on Wikipedia.
Born in the Tula region of Russia, Dronnikov studied at the Moscow Art School in memory of 1905 and graduated from the Surikov Art Institute. In 1972, he left the Soviet Union and settled in Paris, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.
In France, he created an extensive portrait gallery that featured leading cultural figures such as Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Joseph Brodsky, Vladimir Vysotsky, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Sviatoslav Richter. His artworks are known for capturing both the physical presence and inner world of his subjects with rare intensity.
Dronnikov was also a pioneer in independent book publishing. Working with a small home press, he produced limited-edition books and postcards — often no more than 25 copies — featuring the poems and diary excerpts of Gennady Aygi, Nina Goncharova, and Mikhail Larionov.
Dronnikov’s artistic style combined Russian realism with modern European sensibility. His ability to convey the emotional essence of his subjects won him critical acclaim in both Russian and French art circles. Throughout his life, his works were exhibited in major galleries in Paris, Geneva, and Moscow. His personal connections with cultural icons made him a living chronicle of the post-war Russian diaspora in France.
Nikolai Dronnikov passed away in Paris on January 26, 2025, at the age of 94, leaving behind a vast and significant artistic legacy.
