Nikolai Zagrekov was born in 1897 in Saratov, in the Volga German homeland, where he met his future wife, Gertrude. From August 1919 until late 1921, he studied at VKhUTEMAS (Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops), learning from Ilya Mashkov and Pyotr Konchalovsky, founders of the Russian avant-garde group “Knave of Diamonds”. In early 1922, Zagrekov and Gertrude relocated to Berlin, joining the vibrant Russian émigré community. This intellectual hub, known as Russian Berlin, attracted notable Russian artists, including Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall. Zagrekov settled in Charlottenburg, where he became integrated into Berlin's thriving art scene. Quickly assimilating, Zagrekov became an active participant in Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity), a movement focusing on realistic and often socially critical portrayals. This period is highlighted by his works that emphasise confident, emancipated women, as seen in his pieces like Reshina, The Athlete, and Double Portrait. In 1920s Zagrekov was exhibited alongside artists like Christian Schad and others at the E.L.I.D.A. exhibition. Labor was a recurring theme throughout Zagrekov's body of work. One of his notable series, The Rhythm of Labor, was executed in a cubist style and comprised over 40 sketches. In addition to this, he also explored graphic design and commercial art. His connection with Der Weg emerges through the shared address and his work on its emblem, while his teaching practice allows different approaches to art education in interwar Berlin to be compared. In the late 1930s, Zagrekov joined Inselgruppe, an association of Berlin artists that included prominent figures such as Carl Hofer, Max Pechstein, and Ernst Fritsch. After World War II, he settled in West Berlin, where he was appointed Chairman of the Berlin Artists’ Association. During this time, he also created portraits of West Berlin’s political leaders. Zagrekov passed away in 1992. His legacy endures through solo exhibitions held at the Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow) and the Russian Museum (Saint-Petersburg), and a dedicated museum established in his former home in Spandau (Berlin). His work has also been showcased in exhibitions across Germany and the United States.