Boris Kustodiev was born into a large family in Astrakhan. His father was a professor of philosophy, and his mother played the piano. Their family rented a small wing in the house of a wealthy merchant, and Kustodiev reminisced that “the entire lifestyle of merchants was right there, before my eyes”. When the future painter was nine years old, an exhibition of Peredvizhniki artists was organized in Astrakhan. The paintings by Viktor Vasnetsov, Valentin Serov, Ivan Shishkin, and Vasily Polenov made a lasting impression on the young boy who had never seen anything of the kind. That was the moment when Boris Kustodiev decided to become an artist instead of a priest.

Boris Kustodiev became a professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts, a member of the Artists Union, and the group “Mir Iskusstva” (World of Art). He studied in Europe and traveled a lot, but he particularly enjoyed painting in the Kostroma Region. Kustodiev also worked as an illustrator, scenic designer, and decorator. His most famous paintings include “At the Fair”, “Merchant’s Wife at Tea”, “Self-Portrait”, “Portrait of Chaliapin”, and “Maslenitsa”.

For over 15 years, Boris Kustodiev suffered a spinal tumor. Despite the intense pain, he managed to create bright and vivid images. The artist died at the age of 49.