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Master-drawings from LIFE by portrait artist and master draftsman, Igor Babailov - Portrait Drawing, Figure Drawing, Plein Air drawing, drawing studies, realistic portrait drawing, portrait study, study of character, old master techniques, graphite drawing, charcoal drawing, drawing on black paper, Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA MASTERY of DRAWING " ainting does not exist without drawing and it is drawing from life that gives the exact measure of the painter. If one can draw [from life], one can always paint! " P ~ Pietro Annigoni, Royal Portrait Painter Self-portrait in the mirror Chief Justice Annette Ziegler Supreme Court of Wisconsin Portrait study from life Pope Benedict XVI Gen. D. Petraeus, U.S. Military Commander ~ DRAWING studies from Life ~ A vital step in preparation for OIL portraits See Portrait Procedure CLICK on drawings below to see them CLOSER Pope Benedict XVI Pope Leo XIV Nelson Mandela Fr. Arne Panula Senator Michael Pitfield Pope Francis Col. Christoph Graf Justice Clarence Thomas Justice Samuel Alito Thomas Monaghan Gen. David Petraeus Nikita Mary Prime Minister Mark Carney Justice O'Toole Hadley Arkes Dr. Paul Stumb Lawrence Glaubinger Daniel Melissa Fr. Larry Dunham Alex Geacintov Dr. Jeff Balser Judge Seth Norman Bill Gallo Vincent Pitta

Portrait Art BOOKS on the life & illustrious career of portrait artist Igor Babailov - his portrait encounters with some of the greatest people of our times. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA BOOKS LEGACY PORTRAITS Hardcover, 240 pages INTRODUCTION by FOREWORD by Amb. Michael Novak Elizabeth Lev In this new book, LEGACY PORTRAITS , Igor Babailov shares his upfront and close experiences of meeting and painting people from all walks of life: from schoolchildren to Fortune 500 CEOs and Supreme Court Justices, from sport legends and movie stars to Presidents, Prime Ministers and Popes in the Vatican. Official portrait of Pope Benedict XVI by Igor Babailov (selected by the Pope to represent his Papacy at the Vatican Splendors international museum tour) Collection: Vatican Museum, Rome. Buy Your Autographed Book Here Title Legacy Portraits Hardcover, 240 pages Author: Igor V. Babailov Price: $145. U.S. (Plus $14.95. Shipping & Handling - in the U.S.) (Plus $38.95 Shipping & Handling - Canada & Internationally) U.S. buyer Canada & International buyer Special Exclusive Feature (only on this website) : Autographed by the Artist with the personal dedication Please allow up to two weeks for delivery in the US and Canada, and 3-6 weeks for international deliveries. Books are non-refundable. Tiki Barber Pope Benedict XVI General David Petraeus, U.S. Military Commander, CIA Director What people are saying "An impressive array of subjects and deft paint handling.” ~ Dr. James H. Billington, The Librarian of Congress “Most of us at the age of FOUR can not even spell ‘portrait’, and he already painted one.” ~ Joan Lewis – EWTN NEWS, Vatican Bureau Chief "His talent and ability to capture the likeness of his subjects so precisely, is truly inspirational to us all." ~ Isadore Sharp, Founder and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts "Marvelous portraits!" ~ Dr. Henry Kissinger "The Michelangelo of today!" ~ Frank Military, Legendary Music Publisher for Frank Sinatra, and others. GREATEST PORTRAIT MOMENTS by Igor V. Babailov Hardcover, 170 pages Life Portrait of Nelson Mandela in the book "Greatest Portrait Moments", featuring Igor Babailov's 80-plus portrait encounters with some of the greatest people of our time. This book is in stock. Please contact us to see if it is currently available THE WORLD OF IGOR BABAILOV by Vyacheslav Zakharov (in Russian) This book is in stock. Please contact us to see if it is currently available CONTACT US

Studio of Igor V. Babailov - world-renowned portrait artist in Nashville, official portraits of Presidents, Popes, British royalty, Justices. Distinguished private, corporate and museum collections around the world. Igor V. Babailov Commissioned Portraits & other works of Art Master of Fine Arts / Ph.D. (NASAD) Hon. American Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts (est.1757) Knighted Chevalier of the Order of St. Anne (est.1735) Honorary Doctor of Letters "A great Portrait Painting stands far beyond AI and photography!" Igor V. Babailov Hon.RAA, KStA, MFA/Ph.D. (NASAD), D.Litt (Hon.Causa) , World-renowned Portrait Artist, was selected to paint legacy portraits of Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, Prime Ministers, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel Prize Laureates, members of noble families and Royalty, and three Popes for the Vatican. Acknowledged as Maestro by the Vatican curator, in his life-time professional and illustrious career as a portrait artist, he has created over 2,000 commissioned portraits, grand scale multi-figure paintings and other works of art for museums, official public, distinguished private and corporate collections around the world. He is the only portrait artist in America to have received The Ellis Island Medal of Honor with his name read into the Congressional Record. ENTER The Ellis Island Medal of Honor Please CLICK above for details NEW Book Legacy Portraits Get your autographed copy with the personal dedication. O nly on this website. In this new book, LEGACY PORTRAITS , Igor Babailov shares his upfront and close experiences of meeting and painting people from all walks of life: from schoolchildren to Fortune 500 CEOs and Supreme Court Justices, from sport legends and movie stars to Presidents, Prime Ministers and Popes in the Vatican. This one is the official portrait of Justice Samuel Alito by Igor Babailov, Collection: U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. The Only Living Artist Vatican Splendors Museum Tours Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI by Igor Babailov Collection: Vatican Museum, Rome Highest Honor for Portraiture from Royalty Times Square, New York City What You Need To Know When Commissioning A Portrait Painting PORTRAIT PROCEDURE The Master Approach TESTIMONIALS Share

Custom Giclee Prints of the Original Paintings by Igor Babailov - signed by the Artist & come with Certificate of Authenticity. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA OTHER WORKS (Hostoric, Plein Air, Studies from Life and from Imagination) "I chose to paint Beauty!" Igor V. Babailov In direct academic lineage, Igor Babailov inherited the traditions of his famous teachers , some of the greatest artists in the history of art. Babailov's sensitive and skillfully executed works continue the teachings of Repin , Serov , Korovin and Levitan as they embrace the beauty of God's creation and represent the historic Russian school of painting, which paved the classical foundation for these and many other Masters, including the great American artist Whistler. The Igor Babailov artworks below are available as custom-made museum quality Fine Art Giclee Prints. Each Print is signed by Igor Babailov and comes with Certificate of Authenticity. For more information, please CONTACT US To ORDER your Fine Art Giclee Prints and for more information, please CONTACT US

Group family portrait - the Hill family, Nashville, TN. by portrait artist Igor V. Babailov, Hon. RAA Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA The Hill Family Group Family Portrait (6 feet x 9 feet, oil on canvas) OTHER GROUP PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Official portrait of Peter C. Johnson, former President of Summitville Tiles, one of America's leading producers of ceramic tile, by portrait artist Igor Babailov. Collection: The Spread Eagle Tavern, Hanoverton, Ohio Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Portrait of Peter C. Johnson (1924-2011) Summitville Tiles, Ohio Portrait of Peter C. Johnson (1924 - 2011) Former President of Summitville Tiles, one of America's leading producers of ceramic tile. ( Oil on Canvas 40"x 33" ) Collection: Summitville Tiles and the Spread Eagle Tavern (Hanoverton, OH) OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Educational art articles and interviews, featuring master portrait artist Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Articles & Interviews SELECTED ARTICLES BY AND ABOUT IGOR V. BABAILOV What You Need to Know When Commissioning a Portrait Painting by Igor Babailov The Sacred Gift of Portraiture by Lorraine Ferrier, The Epoch Times "The Resurrection of Realism - Beauty will Save the World" by Igor Babailov - Featured in 'The Epoch Times', and 'Faith & Culture' While a photograph grabs a second of a lifetime, a portrait captures the essence of the individual, artist Igor Babailov tells Lorella Fava.The Times of Malta, Malta "A Portrait of the Artist" "Hunger for Beauty" Mercator interviews Alice Ramos, Ph.D., St. John's University, ( Igor Babailov is featured along with an American sculptor and a German composer) "Reviving the Renaissance; A President With Leadership" Portrait Painter Spearheads Artistic Revolution by Elizabeth Lev, ZENIT, Rome, Italy "Pontiff's aura colors artist's image" by Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, U.S.A. "Portraits de Famille" (in French) by Catherine Cochard, Le Temps Magazine, Switzerland "Painter of the Popes" by Joseph Pearce, National Catholic Register "Italian Influence on Realistic Portraiture" PRIMO magazine, Italian-American magazine, U.S.A. Interview to Polish daily Nasz Dziennik by Beata Falkowska, Nasz Dziennik, Poland Pope Francis Portrait Commissioned to American Master Artist, Igor Babailov, Hon. RAA by BroadwayWorld.com "Why We Must Keep the Traditions Alive" by Igor Babailov ( published in the International Artist Magazine, and featured on the Art Renewal Center website Letter to Artists by Igor Babailov Letter to Children at the Preparatory Art School in Russia by Igor Babailov OTHER RELATED ARTICLES Pablo Picasso's Confession From the interview of Pablo Picasso to Italian author Giovanni Papini in 1952 About Master of Fine Arts Degree (MFA) College Art Association, USA

Portrait of Frank Military (oil on canvas), the legendary music publisher and life-time collegue and friend of Frank Sinatra. Legacy portraits by Igor Babailov. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Celebrity Portraits Frank Military Legendary Music Publisher Frank Military was behind the careers of such stellar personalities, as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Liza Minelli, Louis Armstrong, Neil Diamond , and many others. Frank Military Songwriters Hall of Fame, past VP of Warner Chappell Music, Inc. and life-time colleague and friend of Frank Sinatra. Oil on canvas (30" x 24"), by Igor V. Babailov Frank Military and Frank Sinatra "The best painter I've come across in my lifetime...The Michelangelo of today!" ~ Frank Military Igor Babailov and Frank Military at the Warner Chappell Music, Inc. in New York City Collection: Frank Military Jr. , Hollywood, California OTHER CELEBRITY PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Igor Babailov and his Grand-size Multi-figurative Paintings. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA MURALS he ability to create complex multi-figure, large scale realistic compositions, has been recognized by generations of artists, as the highest achievement of the Artistic Expertise. T odern day artists have tendency to categorize themselves as Portrait artists, or Landscape artists, or Still-life artists, etc. But the Masters of the past, however, were learned and savvied in all these genres and referred to themselves as professional Artists, with a capital A. Their mastery was not limited nor defined by one genre, but rather by the mastery of many. Moreover, their ultimate goal was to create grand multi-figure realistic paintings, the kind of challenging works where they would use their knowledge and test their skills and truly explore themselves as a well-rounded and accomplished Artists. So let us set our goalpost high for achieving greatness, just as the Masters of the past did. M ~ Igor V. Babailov, Hon. RAA, KStA For Gold, God and Glory Arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. (oil on canvas, 6 feet x 7 feet) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Included in the Peruvian Encyclopedia Dedicated to the great discoverers of the 'New and Brave World' "Be Not Afraid" Official Portrait of St. John Paul II ( 2003) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Collection: Vatican "My Grandmother Told Me ... 1937" (oil on canvas, 6 feet x 5 feet) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Dedicated to the millions of Russian citizens, killed at the time of Stalin’s repressions. The artist's grandfather was one of them. "The Holy Cross." Official Portrait of Pope Francis (oil on canvas, 7 feet x 5 feet) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Collection: Vatican At work on "CREDO." (oil on canvas, 7 feet x 6 feet) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Collection: Pope St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, DC Privately commissioned by multiple families to immortalize their children and grandchildren in the company of two Saints, John Paul II and Mother Teresa. At work on "Mercy - Who Has To Suffer ... and Why." (oil on canvas, 8 feet x 6 feet) Original Concept & Composition Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Dedicated to CHILDREN, innocent victims of wars, terrorism, and other man-made humanitarian disasters.

Portrait artist and educator, Igor Babailov, responds to the letter from the children's preparatory art school in Glazov, Russia. Letter to Children at the Preparatory Art School in Russia from Igor V. Babailov Teachers wrote to Igor V. Babailov ( translated from Russian ) Hello Igor Valeryvich! We are the teachers of the Children’s Art School in Glazov. On behalf of the children (students of our school) we send you our best wishes, and pass their request to share a little about yourself and your life. It’s been almost 5 years, since your last visit to our school, however we remember you with affection. Children are looking up to you and they are asking about you often. We are awaiting for your return, and we hope that, like in the old days, you would come to visit our school with an interesting lecture for students. We will be utmost thankful and your visit will be SO important, especially these days, when the appreciation for art is unfortunately changing. From the bottom of our heart we wish you happiness and success in everything! Teachers of the Children’s Art School, Glazov, Russia. Letter-answer from Igor V. Babailov Dear Teachers and Students, Thank you so much for your thoughtful letter. It was very touching to read. Everyone’s life and career has its beginnings. It happened that my personal life and artistic career have always been in parallel to one another. The very first lessons I received on traditional values, those which have kept the world going for centuries, came from my parents. They taught me how to recognize the difference between right and wrong, to be true to myself and to avoid the ‘gray’ zone, the place of doubt and indecision, and of course, to strive for perfection. I was exposed to visual arts ever since I was a kid, at the suggestion of my father, Valery V. Babailov, who was one of the founders, as well as the Assistant Principal, of the very first Fine Arts School in Glazov. That is where I began my formal art education and it is the very same school where you now study. It was at the Fine Arts School of Glazov, where I was first introduced to the immortal and perfect values of Realistic Art - the Art of Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Repin. As in everyday life, visual art must have its values, its lights and darks and rights and wrongs. Otherwise, visual art is a meaningless splash of paint or deformed piece of clay which has nothing in common with our life and its beauty and would not require any knowledge or skill to produce. The art of the Masters requires essential knowledge and skill which can only be achieved and learned in the traditional academic school. Glazov’s Fine Arts School introduces you to that knowledge and skills, as it teaches you the alphabet of the rich language of the Masters and provides you with a valuable foundation for you to become a Master. Today, I am proud to say that all my teachers at Glazov’s Fine Arts School namely Babailov, Semakin, Shikalova, Malih, Kondratiev, Mordvin, Batalov, and others, were my very first teachers who contributed to what I know today and hence the artist that I have become. Let me share a secret with you. If you have a gift to draw, then you should not take it for granted. Treasure it. Your beloved teachers are dedicated to enrich your talents with knowledge and skills. The more you work, the greater your skill will develop. If you love to draw and are willing to invest the time and effort into your ambitions, nothing should stand in your way to prevent you from making your dreams come true. Upon my completion of the full four-year program of Glazov's Fine Art School in 1978, I successfully passed the entry exams and was accepted to advance my studies at the prestigious Surikov (currently Tomskiy) Lyceum under the Russian Academy of Arts in Moscow. I graduated in 1983 with honors and received Recommendation from the art professors to continue on further to The Surikov Academy, the highest level in art education. In 1990, after my graduation from the Surikov, I left for North America and I now live in the United States. I enjoy working in different genres of painting, but I do prefer figurative work and portrait painting. In fact, I always have, ever since I studied at the Fine Arts School of Glazov. It is probably because portraiture and people are the most challenging forms of art and that is what interests me the most. I travel extensively across the U.S. and around the world, and often to the cities in the east coast such as New York, Boston, and Washington, because the east coast of the U.S. has historically embraced traditional portraiture in fine art as it goes back to the country’s first settlers in the 17th century. Through my incredibly exciting profession as a fine artist-portraitist, I have met and painted many interesting people such as world leaders, celebrities, and people from all walks of life, including of course my Russian country-men, such as the legendary Mikhail Kalashnikov and others. You can see my portraits and other works on my website www.Babailov.com I also teach and conduct workshops which I love doing. I am sure I inherited this passion from my parents. Just like my teachers in Russia, I keep no secrets from my students and share my knowledge with them completely. I always remember the famous saying by Leonardo Da Vinci, Poor is the student, if he doesn’t become as good or better then his teacher and I myself believe this to be true. I have taught in many art schools and venues, including the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. It is fascinating to see just how many people around the world and outside of Russia are literally starving to learn Classical Art. After being suppressed by modernistic movements for decades, the traditional principles and methods in art education, nurtured by the Masters for centuries, are now left exhausted from neglect and brutally abused by mediocre artists and their loud-mouth media propagandists and supporters, so called 'art critics', who can't draw either but surely can talk.... As a result, we now starting to witness a counter movement ... For example, educational art magazines in American bookstores, are now attempting to bring back and teach what was almost lost - the science of great realism and the academically structured school. This of course is quite a challenge today as substantial damage has already been done and the system is caught up in-between two extremes of inability and inadequacy: abstractionism which does not require skill and can be painted or sculpted with your eyes closed and also photorealism which is basically a copy of a photograph. Historically, Russia was fortunate to keep its traditional art education intact and on the highest level, because in modern times, during the period of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain, Russia’s fine art curriculum in their art schools and universities was not affected or influenced in any way by modernism. I recall a comment made by a Canadian art academy professor, to one of my Russian professors, while his Canadian delegation toured the Surikov academy in 1988. He declared, What the Russian art students have now, we Canadian art universities lost years ago. My client and great friend, Ambassador Michael Novak, from the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. once told me, One good thing came out of the Iron Curtain - the superb art education in Russia. The Russian borders have now been finally opened and the world is becoming smaller and hopefully a safer place to live, but the Russian School of Art has unfortunately become vulnerable to outside ideas and influences of so-called free expression in art, which sadly may now negatively affect traditional academic values and produce fewer skilled artists. We hope that will not happen and that the world renowned famous traditional Russian school of art will remain strong and steadfast. Russia’s historical influence and impact on the art world had it all. There were classicists like Briullov and Kiprensky, itinerants like Kramskoy and Repin, Moscow magnates such as Shchukin and Morozov whose influence gave birth to French Impressionists, and even pioneers of the world's modern art movement like Kandinsky and Malevich, also came out of the Russian fine art school. Visual art education was obviously broad ranged, but yet it remained loyal to the best traditions of the famous art academies. The Children’s Art School is a jewel which Glazov can be so proud of. Just like you, at the age of nine, I was directed and mentored by wonderful artists and teachers and it was there, in their loving care when I took my first steps towards becoming a professional artist. I remember them throughout my life and career. And I will leave you with one last thought, as many talented artists today struggle with making a career choice to be a visual artist, abandoning their artistic dreams and ambitions for more seemingly secure professions in technology, science and business. Stay focused on your dream and do not let it go. In today’s information highway and globally connected world, there are so many abundant opportunities for you as an artist to acquire and develop your business and marketing networks, knowledge and skills necessary to become a successful visual artist - successful in personal fulfillment as an artist and as an art professional, whether in your own marketplace or anywhere in the world. I am proud of your fine and hard work. You must remember to keep the traditions alive and treasure the fine heritage of your art education, to keep true to its integrity and to maintain the highest standards, for your generation and for generations to come. Again, thank you so much for your letter. Next time when I am in Glazov, I will certainly come and visit you all. Very best wishes, Sincerely, Igor V. Babailov © The content herein is the intellectual property of Igor V. Babailov and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from Igor V. Babailov. Any attempt to plagiarize the written material of this page will violate the international community's laws and ethics.

Portrait of Col. Christoph Graf, Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, by Igor Babailov. Collection: Vatican Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Portrait of Col. Christoph Graf Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Vatican Col. Christoph Graf, Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard (oil on canvas, 50"x 42") Portrait of Col. Christoph Graf, 35th Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, appointed by Pope Francis, was commissioned to Igor Babailov for the historic portrait collection of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Commanders' portraits. Commander Graf with his portrait Collection: Vatican Life portrait sitting and life studies of the Commander's armors in preparation for the official oil portrait Official collection: Vatican Official Vatican Pontifical Swiss Guard Seal, presented to Igor Babailov by the Commander Igor Babailov - Vatican portrait sitting with the Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Related LINKS to Igor Babailov's Vatican works Official Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI Official Portrait of Pope Francis Official Portrait of Pope St. John Paul II The Vatican Splendors exhibitions The Sacred Art Resurrection of Realism - Beauty will save the world - article OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Igor Babailov's published article about Beauty verses Ugliness, Relativism verses Traditional Values, and Good Art verses Bad Art. The Resurrection of Realism – Beauty will Save the World By Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Published in the Faith an d Culture online publication and The Epo ch Times It is not a coincidence that the very last thing we ever expect to see in church, is Modern art or an abstract painting, such as a blank page, a single brick or splashes of paint, as some sort of “intellectual” revelation to message one’s ego. Why? Many of us would immediately answer that it just does not belong there, and they are right, it doesn’t. Since the Renaissance, realistic art has played a leading role in education and particularly Christian education. Whether it is in the Bible, churches, or Catholic publications, an illustrated history of Christianity has been presented by realistic and life-like images, those that the viewer can relate to and understand. A strong realistic work of art can clearly convey a theological message, materialize the word of God, and serve as a powerful vehicle of communication to the masses. Hence, artist theologians such as Rafael, Da Vinci, Michelangelo and other Renaissance masters, painted religious works to educate, uplift and strengthen the faith. A definition of an ‘Artist’ was very clear in the past. Applied only to visual artists, it was also synonymous with ‘Skill,’ as the artist was someone who could do something that nobody else could do. VS. BEAUTY UGLINESS "Madonna Litta" (1490), by Leonardo da Vinci "Woman Standing - Pink" (1955), by Willem de Kooning Today, in times of Relativism, anyone can be labeled an “artist,” such as a cook, karate expert, dentist, butcher, or anyone. The term Artist has lost its sacred meaning. We often hear from the defenders of Modernism that ‘art can be anything and anything can be art.’ However, this just does not go well with our Christian heritage and culture, and portraying the Blessed Mother as a chaotic splash of paint or a deformed piece of sculpture, would stand against our visual perception of the Mother of Christ and, in general, our Christian teachings about the sacredness of life and the Beauty of Creation. A story comes to mind about a family of four children, driving on a road, along the fields with tree groves and rivers passing by. They were playing a game where each child were to name the ‘best,’ in their opinion, artist in the world. One child said it was ‘Picasso,’ another child mentioned ‘Van Gogh,’ then the third child named ‘Monet’ and the fourth child sat quietly looking out of the car window and admiring the nature flying by. Then he said, “Look at the sun and the birds and clouds in the blue sky, and the shapes and colors of the leaves and all the different trees. I think that the best artist in the world is God, who created it all.” Indeed, no one ever can create anything better than the masterpiece that He created. As an artist myself, I often think of that story, realizing that we artists realists are trying to reproduce the Beauty of God’s Creation on our canvases and, as artist theologians, we explore the nature of the divine. We know that we will never be as good as God in His skill, but at least we try to get as close as possible to that Master perfection. In other words, we treasure and glorify the Creation of Life and its Beauty. We go to schools and embark in traditional training of direct communication with nature to study all the “sciences in art,” as described by Michelangelo, Raphael and many other great masters after them. We strive to enhance our skills in drawing from life, because Realistic art is the only kind of art that requires skill, especially when it comes to exploring and capturing life in all its beauty and complexity, in the way it is and without exaggeration. I was fortunate to have received the core of such a traditional training and, unlike many debaters out there who are experts at expressing their opinion about art, I rely on my credentials which give me the artistic license, if you will, to support my remarks. A child prodigy, I painted my first portrait at four. I began my formal sixteen-year (1974-1990) fine art education at the age of nine and continued it at the specialized art lyceum for gifted children, followed by the Ph.D. levels of study at the renowned Surikov Art institute, all under the Russian Academy of Arts (founded in 1757) which recently also elected me as the Honorary foreign life-time academician. The curriculum of all my studies, besides such mandatory subjects as Human Anatomy, Perspective and others, also included History of Art from Prehistoric to Renaissance to Modern Art. So, we students were well aware of all the ‘art movements,’ styles and techniques, involved in every period of art. In our broad art education, we acquired the power of knowledge and the more we learned, the clearer was realization that masterfully executed realistic works of art can not be put on the same page with meaningless and helpless dribbles of paint, as we unfortunately often see today in schoolbooks. This is where the damage to the mind begins, resulting in total confusion of one’s thinking such as: If this one is a ‘masterpiece’ and this one is also a ‘masterpiece,’ what example should I follow? But in reality, it is not that complicated, as long as we remember that we live in a world of contrasts: plus verses minus, light verses dark, beauty verses ugliness. The concepts of Relativism are based on questioning what is already known, but what if it questions the moral values that helped humanity survive throughout its existence? Modern art goes hand in hand with Relativism, where common moral sense is demonized and instead ‘choice enlightened’ and socially acceptable often tasteless, unethical and even criminal behaviors such as abortion and euthanasia are championed as rights, choices, privileges and freedoms of expression. So, here is the question. Is Moral Relativism the tool of the devil and therefore the fundamental element in the art of Modernism, where God’s perfect form in human anatomy and nature is broken and defamed, and death and ugliness are celebrated over life and beauty? The answer is obvious. I would like to expand further and use Genesis Chapter 1, as the basis for the moral value of realistic painting and its vital role in following God’s commandments and in promoting and preserving life as He created it. In Genesis Chapter 1, it says that God created heaven and earth when the earth was without form or shape and in darkness. He separated light from darkness, and at the end of each day, “God saw it was good,” hence, God SAW goodness. Modern critics of the school of the Renaissance and Realism in general, claim that there is no creativity in depicting man or nature in its true form, yet that is exactly what God did in his creation of heaven and earth, nature and all beings. God created the template, the blueprint of Realism in art, where light and dark are separated in tonal values, and those who are familiar with the traditional school of art know that study of ‘tonal values’ in nature is the fundamental principle of Realism. After the viewer sees the realistic painter’s work, they become enlightened and SEE goodness, like God did after each stage of His creation. They see goodness also in the most tragic and sad paintings such as Christ on the cross and where a painting depicting pain and suffering, will move us to compassion and love. Realism is prayer, gratitude, honoring God’s creation. This is not the case in the inherent pessimism of Modern art, the art of ugliness and death, where future does not exist. Artistic talent is often referred to as a ‘gift from God’ and should be treasured as one and not taken for granted. For an artist, it also comes with sacred responsibilities, as the mission of Visual Art is not to celebrate selfish expression of one’s depressive feelings by primitive means. It must propagate goodness and beauty and not evil’s ugliness. And yes, even the horrors of war and devastation can be portrayed with signs of Hope, which helps us get through difficult times, so goodness will eventually prevail. Art must educate in a positive way and the artists have this very moral obligation before their viewers and God Himself, who gave them talent. “The works of art speak of their authors,” - said Pope John Paul II. In his letter to the Artists in 1999, His Holiness wrote, “To all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new ‘epiphanies’ of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world,” and then His Holiness quotes from Genesis 1:31, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” A very Holy man, John Paul II was outspoken about the “culture of death,” warned about its consequences, and liked to quote the famous words of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “Beauty will save the world!” Resurrection of Realism by Igor V. Babailov In the cataclysm of today’s debates and what is happening in the arts, I decided to create this work and my original composition depicted in this article. The angelic young child in the center represents the beauty, innocence and purity of Realistic art. Since the mid 1950s, it has been oppressed by shallow and weak art education and self-appointed art critics, kept for decades under the darkness of Modernism. In my painting, Modernism is represented by the ugly creatures from Picasso’s ‘iconic’ painting called “Guernica.” It portrays the moment when the film of darkness begins to heat up from beneath, like a volcano it bubbles and melts, and the divine light of Realism breaks through this captivity of cold darkness to breath the long awaited air and new life. I entitled this work “Resurrection of Realism.” In my lifetime professional career, I have created thousands of drawings and paintings and have painted more than 2000 portraits, which also included the official portraits of Presidents, Prime Ministers, British Royalty and three Popes for the Vatican. I particularly enjoy the Portrait genre because it celebrates the beauty of the most perfect of God’s creation, humanity. Perhaps this is why the worst assault on Beauty of Creation by Modernism is actually directed to breaking and mutilating the human form. I never give preference to which I prefer to paint more, adults or children. I just love people from all walks of life and love to find and accurately capture the unique characteristics of their outer and inner world. After all, it is our uniqueness that makes each of us beautiful, as we are all God’s children. I wish to leave my readers with a warning for the future. The more we surrender our God-given talents, skills and ability to re-create the Beauty of creation, the more we break the human form and distance ourselves from nature and the further away we go from God. We become disobedient to His laws and expectations and reverse, if you will, his original creation, reverting into the darkness and emptiness, to which He brought light, form and life. Modernism takes us in the opposite direction, into nothingness and reverses the process of Creation ‘from darkness to light’ and instead it takes us ‘from light to darkness.' Educating our youth and teaching them to recognize Beauty, promoting the classical art school of master skills and drawing from life, are the safeguards for common moral sense to prevail to keep the traditional values alive, so that the Beauty will indeed, save the world. About the Author: Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA, MFA (PhD), D.Litt (Hon.Causa), is the world-renowned American artist, Honorary American Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts (est.1757), invited speaker, and scholar of the sacred arts. His recent articles and interviews have been published in the National Catholic Register (USA), Zenit (Italy), Nasz Dziennik (Poland), The Times of Malta, to name a few. He is a recipient of The Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2022) and the author of his recent book Legacy Portraits with an Introduction by Michael Novak, which accompanies his distinguished clients’ portraits in public, museum, corporate and private collections and libraries around the globe. For more information, visit: www.Babailov.com