Biography

Gugnin Nikolai (28.11.1946, Novgorod, Russia – 23.10.2022, Vitebsk), a Belarusian art expert, teacher, and graphic artist. He graduated from the Art and Graphics Department of the Vitebsk Pedagogical Institute (1970), and was taught by I. Stolyarov, F. Gumen. The artist lectures at the Vitebsk State University named after P. Masherov, Ph.D. in Art History (1982), Associate Professor, Head of the Chair for Fine Arts (2001–2011). Nikolai Gugnin studied the history and development problems of Belarusian book illustration. He is the author of one of the parts of «Belarusian Art History» book (V. 5, 1992). Since 1991 Nikolai was a member of the Belarusian Union of Artists. The artist lived in Vitebsk.

In the 1970s and the early 1990s, the artist leaned toward making bookplates, the linocut printing technique. Since the mid-1990s, he worked more actively in watercolor and gouache technique.

Among his major works are: the bookplates (more than 70; 1966-89), the compositions «April. Pink Dawn» (1970), «Road to the Luchesa» (1988), «Autumn» (1994), «Early Snow» (1996); the gouache paintings «Evening on Obole» (2000), «March Sun» (2005), «Winter Evening. The Polota» (2007), «Warm Evening» (2008), etc.

Traditional realist imagery, a plein air approach, restrained linear and pictorial rhythms prevail in the artist's creative work.

His works are kept in the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local History.

LITERATURE CITED

Цыбульский, М. Л. Гугнин Николай Александрович / М. Л. Цыбульский // Регионы Беларуси : энцикл. : в 7 т. / редкол.: Т. В. Белова (гл. ред.) [и др.]. — Мн. : Беларус. Энцыкл. імя П. Броўкі, 2010. — Т. 2 : Витебская область. Кн. 1. — С. 346.