Little known in his native Russia, Ivan Pokhitonov (1850-1923) won fame in France for his delicate miniature paintings of landscapes. The Tretyakov Gallery, a Russian national museum, is now providing audiences with a chance to re-evaluate the artist with the exhibit “Painter-Sorcerer” — timed to the 160th anniversary of his birth — that shows 80 of his works.

His paintings were remarkable for the delicate, painstaking work that went into each one. The works were painted on small pieces of red and lemon wood that he polished with fish bone to make them smooth. He used tiny brushes and a magnifying lens to paint all the intricate details, with each painting taking several months to finish, curator Eleonora Paston said.