Had people related the work of Gogol before "The Nose"?

I am not sure to understand your question. Do you mean reviews from critics or author ? If so, the answer is yes. Gogol was a good friend of Pushkin, who promoted his short stories and encouraged him to write The Dead Souls. Also, Gogol was the protégé of the most influential Russian critic of the 1840’s, Vissarion Belinsky, at least until the publication of The Dead Souls. Gogol was also a major influence for Dostoyevsky, Sologub, Belyi, and more generally for the Silver Age of Russian Literature (1890’s-1920’s). I don’t if I answered your question.