During the periods from 1877 to 1883 and from 1886 to 1888 he studied in the Moscow School for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under Vassily Perov, Vassily Polenov, Illarion Pryanishnikov, Aleksey Savrasov and Vladimir Makovsky. In addition to that, he studied in the Petersburg Academy of Arts under Bogdan Willewalde from 1884 to 1886.

 

In 1887 Arkhipov’s painting Visiting a Patient gained him a big silver medal of the Moscow School for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

 

In 1891 Abram Arkhipov became a member of the Itinerants - a group of Russian realist painters, who travelled with their exhibitions from town to town. Lots of his works of that period, such as Visit of the Patient, Down River Oka, Lay-Brother, and others were acquired by Peter Tretyakov himself for his famous art collection of The Tretyakov Gallery.

 

In 1896 and 1912 the artist visited France, Germany and Italy.

 

From 1894 till 1918 Arkhipov headed a life class in the Moscow School for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

 

He was entitled an academician (a full-fledged member of the Academy of Arts) in 1898 and became one of the founders of The Russian Artists Union in 1904.

 

Starting from 1912 he often travelled to the Russian North. After the October Revolution he took part in reorganizing the Moscow School for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and taught in VKHUTEMAS (the Higher Art and Technical Studios) till 1924. 

 

Abram Arkhipov became a member of the Artists of Revolutionary Russia Association in 1924 and was entitled the People’s Artist of RSFSR in 1927.

 

Abram Arkhipov died on September 25, 1930 in Moscow. He was laid down to rest at the Vagankovo Cemetery. He was never married and had no children, however the art traditions of the family were carried on by his grandniece Alla Bedina.