b. 1886, New Margelan, Turkestan region; d. 1957, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Painter, graphic artist, scenographer 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). Lived in Tashkent (since 1916). He was engaged in decoration of the city for revolutionary holidays. He created a series of works (oil and watercolor) “Water and Stones”, “Women on the Background of Mazars” (1915-1916), “Sketches for Legends” (1917-1919), “Eastern Primitive” (1918-1920), “Mountain Kishlaks of Fergana”, “Chaikhana of the Old City”, “Return to Man” (1925-1926) and others. Worked in tempera technique. In 1931-1934 he made a number of creative trips: to Shakhimardan, Kadyryastroy, Chirchikstroy. In the mid-1930s he was accused of formalism. Member and exhibitor of the associations “Masters of the New East” (1928-1930, founding member), ARIZO (Association of Workers of Fine Arts, 1930). Organizer of the “Volkov Brigade”. Participated in exhibitions of AHRR in Tashkent (1928), “Poster in the Service of Five-Year Plan” in Moscow (1932), Soviet art in Philadelphia (1934). He held personal exhibitions in Tashkent (1920, 1921, 1923, 1944, 1956-1957) and Moscow (1923). From 1919 - director of the Art Museum in Tashkent. He taught drawing at the Tashkent Teachers' Institute (1916-1919), Turkestan People's School of Painting and Sculpture (1919-1922), at the Pedagogical Department of Turkestan University (1921-1922), at the Higher Regional Art School, Turkestan Art College (1929-1941), Tashkent Art School and the studio of the Central House of Children's Education (1944-1947). In 1943 he was awarded the title of Honored Art Worker of the Uzbek SSR, in 1946 - People's Artist of the Uzbek SSR. Author of poetic cycles “Caravan and Chaikhana” (1922-1923), “Days of Nomads” (1924-1927). Buried in Botkin cemetery in Tashkent.