There is so much tenderness, warmth, sun and affection in the title of “Mother’s Room in the Morning” alone. As a descendant of a Moscow merchant clan, the artist attached particular importance to family relationships. So there is no surprise that as well as cityscapes, still life paintings, and rural scenes, Nikolai Tarkhov would often choose such cozy domestic scenes from life, capable of communicating a special lyrical mood. This painting is peaceful, filled with light and the children’s voices. The painter admits the viewer into his inner circle by portraying an episode from his private life. We see his French wife Marie-Yvonne Deiteille and their two children. The artist uses soft pastel and bright blue tints to express the variety of emotions and the contrasting morning light. Tarkhov breaks the colours with separate brush strokes in order to achieve a particular luminescence and play of overtones. The room is filled with a joy that is shared with the viewer.