Painting as a visual art medium has always been a window into an illusory dimension. Within the classical paradigm, this type of creative work presented a function of copying reality, reflecting the Platonic concept of mimesis. Of course, this approach was possible before the invention of photography, which freed painters from the shackles of figurativeness. Still, it does not mean that after the beginning of the 20th century, artists who worked in this field disappeared.
Monumental painting artist Radmirjon Khandamov is one of them. In his frescoes, he seeks to capture the views of his favorite city – Khiva, where Khandamov spent his entire life.
The artist’s works are quite saturated in color – the artist prefers warm shades. It is also worth paying attention to the frequent use of sfumato in the background of his works. According to Khandamov, this is because he is a big fan of the work of Leonardo da Vinci. The Renaissance master was an innovator in the field of painting techniques that later became timeless.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that, unlike many of his colleagues in the field, Hamdamov introduces stucco into the pictorial body. In this way, he reworks the aesthetics of the trompe l’oeil genre. Because the artist’s professional interest was always directed towards the Renaissance, he learned a lot from the masters of this period. Accordingly, such works as the Camera degli Sposi, painted by Andrea Mantegna. Like his “teacher”, Hamdamov strives to expand the reality of the physical world with the help of a painting technique, and stucco is a kind of divider that enhances the effect of depth.
All of the above elements indicate that we have an accomplished artist who clearly understands his place in the field. The ability to use artistic heritage indicates that the author consciously chose his creative strategy, thanks to which he became a professional.
20 December, 2025
