Nikolay Tarkhov was an artist who independently determined his art path. A landscapist, portraitist, and genre artist, he dedicated all his time to painting from nature. In 1894 he tried and failed to enter the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He started self-instruction and then attended Konstantin Korovin's studio from 1897. 
 

Nikolay Tarkhov debuted at the 17th exhibition of the Moscow Society of Art Lovers. In 1898 he moved to Paris. In 1906 Sergei Diaghilev exhibited his works along with paintings by Mikhail Larionov. Nikolay Tarkhov participated in Parisian art salons and sent his works to Moscow exhibitions, such as those of the “36 artists”, the Union of Russian Artists, and others. The year 1909 saw the personal exhibition of Nikolay Tarkhov in Gallerie Druet in Paris. His works were displayed at Makovsky's Salon in St. Petersburg. He also participated in Vladimir Izdebskiy Salon in 1909 – 1910.

Nikolay Tarkhov settled in D'Orsay in 1911. The Autumn Salon held a small retrospective show of Nikolay Tarkhov’s works in the framework of its annual exhibition in 1930. 
 

Paintings by Nikolay Tarkhov are kept in lots of private and museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, which acquired the artist’s works from his lifetime exhibitions.