Parents' Happiness. 1962. Oil on Board. 47.3x33 cm. Signed and dated lower left. A sketch for the painting "The first Child" (1963)
A nostalgic and inspiring scene from 1950s by Nikolay Ovchinnikov (1918–2004), a Chuvashi painter with extremely bright national "color". Candidate of sciences in art criticism (1955), professor (1973), Academician of the Chuvash Academy of Fine Arts (1994). People’s Artist of the Russian Federation (1984), the Chuvash Republic Prize winner (1975).Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Leningrad in 1951 where he had studied under the tutelage of R. Frentz. Stayed as a post-graduate at his alma-mater and later become a professor of drawing. In 1959 he left Leningrad for his native Chuvashia and Cheboksary and as the most reputable artist was awarded the title of an honored artist of the Chuvash Republic. Managed the Painting Department at Chuvash Teachers Training Institute (1963-1989).The most famous paintings: “Decree on organizing the Chuvash Republic”, “The capital of friendship”, “Cosmonauts wedding”. The works of Ovchinnikov are in the collections of the Volga regional art museums and in many museum collections of Russia.