This book is dedicated to the fate of great Russian artists of different eras – from Andrei Rublev to Isaac Brodsky. And – the stories of great paintings from the first examples of Russian secular painting to unforgettable Soviet classics. The history of art is intertwined with the history of the country, the paintings reveal the fate of the people. So it was and so it will be. Without knowing these canvases, you will never fully understand the country in which we live. This is the cultural code of Russia and the Soviet Union... great portraitists leave us the faces of the past. Historical painting captures the milestones of our life and reveals the ideology of its time. Realistic painting has always been of particular importance – with love and sympathy for the "little man". You will find all this in the book you are holding in your hands. It contains a real treasure trove!