Adolf Nikolaevich Ovchinnikov

Adolf Nikolaevich Ovchinnikov was a Russian restorer-artist of the highest qualification in Old Russian and post-Byzantine tempera painting, icons and frescoes; a specialist in Christian symbolism; an expert-researcher in medieval painting techniques; a copyist of medieval monuments; a teacher; and an employee of the All-Russian Art and Scientific Restoration Center named after Academician I. E. Grabar.

 

He was born in Karachev to a family of a civil servant and a healthcare worker. He worked as a designer-artist at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV) (1952–1955). In subsequent years Ovchinnikov devoted himself to restoration, working at the State Historical Museum and the State Art Scientific and Restoration Workshops named after I. E. Grabar. Adolf Nikolaevich attained the highest qualification as a restorer-artist and copyist and became a recognized master of his craft. Ovchinnikov is the founder of a unique method for studying Old Russian and post-Byzantine art monuments — creating copy-reconstructions. During his career he executed copy-reconstructions of paintings from eight churches dating from the 8th to the 15th centuries and hundreds of icons from the 13th–17th centuries, making an invaluable contribution to the preservation and study of cultural heritage.

 

Ovchinnikov’s high professionalism was recognized with numerous awards, including the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (2008), the Order of Honour (1995), the title Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR (1988) and Honored Worker of Culture of the RSFSR (1982). In 2016 he donated his unique collection of copy-reconstructions to the Russian Federation. Adolf Nikolaevich Ovchinnikov passed away on April 15, 2021, at the age of 89.