New Margelan, Turkestan region 1886-1957 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Born in the family of a general of the military medical service. In 1888 he moved with his family to Kerki (on the border with Afghanistan). He studied at a real school in Tashkent (1897-1900), then - in the second Orenburg Cadet Corps (1900-1905), at the natural department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University (1907-1908). At the same time he studied watercolor and drawing in the Art Studio of D. I. Bortniker in St. Petersburg (1906-1908). In 1908 he entered the Higher Art School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture at the IAH, studied in the studio of V. E. Makovsky (did not graduate). In 1910-1912 attended the school-studio of M. D. Bernstein, where he studied with I. Y. Bilibin, A. V. Sherwood, N. K. Roerich. In 1912 he moved to Kiev, for four years (1912-1916) studied at the Kiev Art School under F. G. Krichevsky and V. K. Menk. K. Menk. Since 1914 he participated in exhibitions (student exhibitions of the Kiev Art School).