Nimetullah Gerasim

Nimetullah Gerasim was a Russian-born painter and sculptor who worked extensively in Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, and Turkey. Born in Moscow, he initially pursued a medical education before shifting to art, studying at the Leningrad Academy of Fine Arts. He later moved to France to continue his artistic training in the portrait and landscape departments at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Between 1932 and 1936, Gerasim worked in Iran as an archaeologist and sculptor, contributing to excavations at the ancient site of Persepolis. He subsequently relocated to Shanghai, China, where he lived and worked from 1936 until 1956. During his time in East Asia, he produced paintings in a neoclassical style that documented local environments and architectural landscapes.

In 1956, Gerasim moved to Turkey, residing in Istanbul until 1969 before permanently settling in Ankara. Over the course of his career, his work focused on figurative subjects, street scenes, ancient ruins, and regional landscapes. His paintings were acquired by public institutions and museum collections internationally prior to his death in 1986.