Images of the native region in the works of the Nizhny Novgorod artist-frontline soldier R. S. Grazhdaninov

The aim of the article is to study the complex of artistic works of the veteran of the Great Patriotic War and amateur Nizhny Novgorod artist Rafael Semenovich Grazhdaninov (1924–1998) in order to identify the uniqueness of his artistic individuality and author's style. To achieve this goal, with the help of problem-chronological, comparative-historical, retrospective, factographic and descriptive scientific methods, the tasks of analyzing various works of the master are solved: oil paintings and numerous watercolor sketches, educational drawings from student works to the works of an honored master. The artistic work of R.S. Grazhdaninov is currently unknown to domestic researchers and is being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, therefore, addressing it within the framework of the formulated topic represents the novelty of this study. Despite the fact that the front-line artist R.S. Grazhdaninov did not have the opportunity to receive a professional art education, the originality and uniqueness of his paintings is evidenced by numerous awards for participation in exhibitions of works by amateur artists. The author comes to the conclusion that, while R.S. Grazhdaninov, the creator of front-line memoirs, captured on their pages all the hardships and horrors of war, in his works of art he presented a completely different side of his personality, a true patriot who loved his small homeland and sang of its unique beauty.