He's revered as a hero who saved Russia by some. He's reviled as a despot by others. And this dichotomy is reflected in artists' renditions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who marks his 60th birthday on October 7.
The Many Faces Of Vladimir Putin
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A man looks at portraits of Putin at an exhibition hall in Moscow in 2003.
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A portrait called "Winter" by Ukrainian artist Ruslan Kutnyak
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An exhibition devoted to Putin in St. Petersburg
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A painting of Putin on Arbat Street in Moscow
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"The Candle of Our Life" by the Blue Nose Group in Moscow's Guelman Gallery
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A portrait painted by artist Vladislav Koval in Volgograd
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An exhibition devoted to Putin in St. Petersburg
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A portrait by artist Nikas Safronov at his exhibition in the Library of Foreign Literature in Moscow
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A painting on display during an exhibition titled "Rodina" in Novosibirsk
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"Putnik (Wanderer)" by Vasily Saprykin, depicting Putin as a man with a walking stick, on display at the Russian Portrait Salon in St. Petersburg
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"Mr. Putin" by V. Timofeyeva and D.Vrubel in Moscow's Gallery of the Single Object