Born 7 (20) may 1888 in the village of Dyagilevo vyaznikovskogo district of Vladimir province. Hero of Socialist Labor (1978), Honored artist of the RSFSR (1956), people's artist of the RSFSR (1963), people's artist of USSR (1974), laureate of the State prize them. I. E. Repin (1970). Hereditary icon painter. Member of the CPSU since 1941. In the years 1902-1906 he studied at the educational workshops of the Committee of guardianship of Russian iconography. Teacher - M. P. Parilov, E. I. Flag. From 1907 he worked in icon painting workshop of M. V. Malova in Moscow. In 1914 he participated in painting the Church of St. Panteleimon in Novy Afon. The participant of world war I, demobilized for health reasons. From August 1926 he worked in the Artel of ancient painting. From 1928 he taught at the vocational school, transformed in 1934 in Palekh art College, where he worked until his death. In 1944-1956 was the Director of the State Museum of Palekh art. In 1956 he was awarded the title of honored artist of the RSFSR in 1963 - people's artist of the RSFSR. Awarded the order of Lenin and red banner of Labor. Died 4 Jun 1979, buried in Palekh.
N. M.Zinoviev has developed a program of teaching Palekh skill. Was engaged in monumental painting (painting of kindergartens and cultural houses in Anzhero-Sudzhensk (1960), Baku (1961), Ivanov (1937), Leningrad (1936), Makhachkala (1961), Rybinsk (1938), Shuya (1959-1961), Yaroslavl (1939), Elk station near Moscow (1937)), restoration (frescoes of the assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (1947), the Trinity Cathedral in Zagorsk, Lacquer study of Monplaisir Palace in Petrodvorets (1955-1959)), sketches of costumes for theatrical performances (ballet I. Schwartz "Wonderland" (1942)), book illustration ("Peasant children" N..Nekrasov (1936), tales of S. A. Basova-Verguenza (1946)), easel painting. The author of the books "the Art of Palekh" (1969) and "the Stylistic traditions of the art of Palekh" (1981). Themes of works: folklore, literature, history, contemporary, genre scenes. Participated in exhibitions since 1928.
8 Dec 1984 in Dyagilevo is a house-Museum of N. M.Zinoviev. His name is a street in Palekh. In 2002, PHU scholarship established in the name of N. M.Zinoviev.
The Works Of N. M.Zinoviev are stored in museums: gmpi, Mstiora art Museum, the state Russian Museum, state Tretyakov gallery, Vanini, PIM, SHAMS, OC Ivanovo, Ryazan OC, GMAN, the DEM, the all-Russian Museum of A. S. Pushkin "Moika 12".