The article step by step opens the versatile image of Fridtjof Nansen developing in the Russian Empire, the USSR and in the modern Russian Federation from the end of 19th and until the beginning of the 21st centuries. In modern Russia the generalized image of the great scientist of the researcher of the Arctic and the world renowned humanist dominates. Some Norwegian researchers consider that the Russian biographies of Nansen are not full as they do not consider, for example, a number of downside of its family life. However the author of article considers reasonable some idealization of this person and explains the reasons of it. He believes that in Russia and for Russians in emigration (especially in the early twenties of the 20th century) during the consecutive historical periods, in specific political and social conditions were formed and in turn, at least, four various images of Nansen prevailed not one, and. The formulation of characteristic features of those images also defines novelty of contents of article.