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An educational article by portrait artist Igor Babailov, featured in PRIMO Magazine, Italian-American magazine, U.S.A. The Latest News…from an Italian-American Perspective PRIMO magazine Italian Influence on Realistic Portraiture by Igor Babailov Portrait Artist Igor Babailov, the only Living Artist in the Vatican Splendors Exhibition, tells PRIMO why Artists Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Pietro Annigoni are his Key Influences. Igor Babailov's painting "For Gold, God and Glory" on the cover of PRIMO magazine. The great Italian contributions in the history of art are immeasurable. On my website www.Babailov.com , there are a number of artists, whose works I recommend to study, and among them are Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 - 1770) and Pietro Annigoni (1910–1988). These are only two great names out of many fine visual artists of Italy. They represent two different centuries, yet both come from the same educational background in the classical tradition of one of the oldest art schools in the world: the Italian Academy of Art. “La Strega” by Pietro Annigoni “Head of a Young Man in Three-Quarter View Facing Left, Looking Upward,” by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Given that they lived in different eras, both Tiepolo and Annigoni faced unique challenges. Tiepolo’s challenge at his time was to explore the knowledge of the Masters before him and around him and to apply it to his own beautiful figurative works, which were celebrated by his contemporaries, as the sophisticated appreciation of the skill in art was taught and very much present at the time. Pietro Annigoni, the utmost admirer of the Old Masters, had a very different challenge at the peak of his career in 1950s-70s, being constantly attacked by the “art critics” for painting beauty and emphasizing the importance of the masters’ methods and techniques as prerequisite of skill for any artist. The celebration of Beauty and God’s Creation is the main focus of the traditional school of painting, which requires more than talent, but the skill to produce, and consequently cannot be achieved without the proper education. It has always been at the core of the academic curriculums and the Italian academy has given the world some of the best known names in the history of art, until about the mid 20 th century, when the rich inheritance of the Renaissance Masters suddenly became “debatable” by “art critics who couldn’t draw.” I became familiar with the name Annigoni when I was invited to teach at the Florence Academy of Art, in Italy in 1999. When I discovered more about his life and works, I immediately felt the closeness to this artist, fully relating to his values and ideals. I myself being a contemporary realist artist, like Annigoni, was asked on numerous occasions “if there was enough of Renaissance in the period of Renaissance…” This question was well answered by Pietro Annigoni, who I quote: “Only those who know nothing about art may think that a Style is repeatable in every age. It is the destiny of every artist to strive to say something NEW with an OLD language.” In 2008, my life size portrait of Pope Benedict XVI was officially presented to the Pope upon His Holiness’s arrival in the United States. Two years later, I received a call from the Papal Nuncio in Washington, D.C. with the news that my papal portrait arrived in America to exhibit in Vatican Splendors, the North American museum tour from the Vatican Collection. The Vatican Splendors exhibition consists of almost 200 objects representing 2,000 years of the Vatican’s history. They include historic works of art, important period documents, even the relics of St. Peter. The significant part of the exhibition are paintings, sculptures and other works of art; as well as the Papal portraits, with my portrait representing the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. At the opening of Vatican Splendors I approached the Vatican Curator Roberto Zagnoli to thank him for selecting my work for such an important exhibition and he replied: “No, no, no, Maestro, the Pope chose it!” That was, of course, a huge honor. Some of the artists’ works on the exhibition include the works of Michelangelo, Giotto, Bernini, Guerchino, Vasari and many other Masters of the Renaissance, and I was humbled to be the only living artist there. The 2000-year impact of the Vatican in art history is unquestionably immense and impressive, with the majority of its artists being Italians, and I’m proud to be among such a distinguished group and company of Masters in the history of art. The Vatican Splendors exhibition moved to the John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, and then the Fine Arts Museum in Ft. Lauderdale until May 2011, when it returned back to the Vatican. Igor Babailov at work on the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI On another note, some of my famous Italian American portrait subjects included: Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York, actor James Gandolfini and the most recent portrait of Iraq veteran of war and American Hero, Brendan Marrocco. They all are on my website www.Babailov.com Editor’s Note: PRIMO had the honor of featuring the work of Igor V. Babailov on the cover of our September/October 2001 edition on Christopher Columbus. The painting, oil on canvas, was titled “For Gold, God and Glory.” Artist Babailov is praised by many for his sensitive and detailed portraits of contemporary luminaries in politics and entertainment, as well as a number of spectacular landscape paintings. Please review his latest works at www.Babailov.com Igor Babailov and Pope Benedict XVI Apostolic Palace, Vatican

Artist Aleksey P. Kholmogorov, renowned Russian artist, was the painting teacher of Valery Babailov, Igor Babailov's father. Художник Алексей Павлович Холмогоров - Народный Художник России и Удмуртской Республики. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Teacher~Student Lineage Aleksey Pavlovich Kholmogorov (1925 - 1987) "He was an outstanding artist, teacher and mentor to my father, Valery Babailov ." ~ Igor Babailov Aleksey Pavlovich Kholmogorov was born on March 1, 1925. in the Udmurt Republic. Veteran of the Great Patriotic War, he entered the Palekh Art College, where his teacher was Alexander Korin, the brother of the famous painter Pavel Korin. A year later he transferred to the Kazan Art College, graduated in 1951. In 1953 Kholmogorov entered the Moscow State Institute named after V.I. Surikov. His Professor was Victor Tsyplakov , a student of renowned artists and teachers, Igor Grabar and Sergey Gerasimov , who studied in the studios of world-famous artists Ilya Repin and Valentin Serov . After graduation in 1959, Kholmogorov returned to Izhevsk. The same year, the art and graphic faculty was opened at the Izhevsk's State Udmurt University. Kholmogorov became one of the first lecturers there, he invited colleagues from other cities, organized the reception of students and the educational process. One of his first students was Valery Babailov whom Kholmogorov regarded as his "favorite student' throughout his life. The intense creative activity and active civil position in the following years were marked by awarding him the title of the People's Artist of the USSR (1967), Honored Artist of Russia (1972), People's Artist of Russia (1981). In the 1970's, for the cycle of paintings "People of my Republic" he became a laureate of the State Prize of Udmurtia. In 1981 for the series of portraits "Women of Udmurtia" and the painting "Consultation" he was awarded a silver medal of the Academy of Arts of the USSR and the State Prize of Russia named after I.E. Repin. two of his works are in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery: "Portrait of Zoya Mikhailova" and "Victory Day, Village Veterans." Kholmogorov was the chairman of the board of the Udmurt branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR, elected secretary of the Union of Artists of Russia in 1972.. He died on September 30, 1987, in Izhevsk. A young Udmurt mother Grandma Darya Kurbatova from Bagrash-Bigra Portrait of Mikhail Kalashnikov Igor V. Babailov Direct Teacher~Student Academic Lineage CLICK

Portrait of Mayor Rudy Giuliani (oil on canvas), by Igor Babailov. Officially unveiled in New York City. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Official Portraits Rudolph W. Giuliani Mayor of New York City (1994-2001) Collection: Giuliani Partners , NYC Portrait of Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York (Oil on canvas, 36" x 30") Original Concept & Composition, Copyright © Igor V. Babailov Attendees included Dr. Henry Kissinger (on the left) Official Portrait Unveiling Dr. Sal Ferrera with the portrait Igor Babailov with Rudy Giuliani OTHER OFFICIAL PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov

Portrait of Akira Kurosawa, commissioned to Igor Babailov by Kurosawa Productions, Tokyo, Japan. Exhibited at the Celebrities Art Fair for Steven Spielberg's Starlight-Starbright Children's Foundation, Japan. Igor V. Babailov, Hon.RAA, KStA Recent Celebrity Portraits Akira Kurosawa Legendary Film Director, Japan Akira Kurosawa (oil on canvas, 30" x 26") by Igor Babailov Commissioned by Kurosawa Productions for Steven Spielberg's Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, Japan Exhibited at the World Celebrities Art Fair in Tokyo, Japan Participants of the exhibition included: Jon Bon Jovi, Musician Igor Babailov, Artist Jackie Chan, Actor Gary Cooper, Actor Jerry Garcia, Musician Jeff Goldblum, Actor Summo Hung, Actor Maria Cooper Janis, Artist Arnold Palmer, Golfer Anthony Quinn, Actor Jane Seymour, Actress Igor Babailov in the Exhibition Catalogue WELCOME message by Steven Spielberg OTHER CELEBRITY PORTRAITS by Igor Babailov