“National heartbeat” of the Artist V.V. Arkhipov

The article studies the work of the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation V.V. Arkhipov, which spans across various aspects of artistic activity — from film production design to easel paintings and graphic series. The author analyses the design features of sketches for films, set in different historical periods from the era of Ancient Rus' to the present day. Attention is drawn to the artist's ability to not only reproduce the attributes of a particular period, but also to feel the spirit of the time that shapes the events of the characters' lives, as well as to find the appropriate media that most accurately convey the artistic image and atmosphere of each dramatic text. The traditions of Russian fine art determine the artistic images of central Russian nature in V.V. Arkhipov’s landscapes, the interpretation of Russian epic and fairy-tale plots in his easel works, as well as the witty distinctive characters in his graphic series, which suggests the continuity of the Russian art school.