His father was a Troop Sergeant in the Don Cossacks. He displayed artistic talent at an early age; copying illustrations from Niva and other popular magazines. His uncle, a local artist named A.V. Pyshkin, taught him how to draw from memory. His father insisted that he follow family tradition, however, and enrolled him in the Vladimir Kiev Cadet Corps in 1870. Once there, his instructors noticed that he spent all of his free time drawing and advised his father to give him an art education instead.
His father was a Troop Sergeant in the Don Cossacks. He displayed artistic talent at an early age; copying illustrations from Niva and other popular magazines. His uncle, a local artist named A.V. Pyshkin, taught him how to draw from memory. His father insisted that he follow family tradition, however, and enrolled him in the Vladimir Kiev Cadet Corps in 1870. Once there, his instructors noticed that he spent all of his free time drawing and advised his father to give him an art education instead.