Vasily Perov is known as the author of genre paintings penetrated with compassion to people, especially poor peasants, and psychological portraits (such as portraits of his famous contemporaries Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ivan Turgenev, Alexander Ostrovsky, and others.

Vasily Grigorevich Kridener was born on December, 23rd 1833 in the city of Tobolsk, as a natural son of baron Grigory Karlovich Kridener. The future artist got his artistic surname “Perov” as a nickname given by his school teacher.

In 1846 Vasily Perov entered A.V.Stupin Painting School in Arzamas and successfully finished it in 1849. Then he continued his education in the Moscow Painting School from 1853 to 1861. For his outstanding success at exhibitions the artist got an opportunity to travel abroad at public expense.

In 1862 Vasily Perov went to Germany, where he visited all important art centers. Paris becomes his next destination till 1864, when he returned to Moscow.

Having settled down in Moscow, the artist continued to paint in his favourite manner and in the period from 1865 to 1871 he created canvasses that won recognition from public and a niche in the temple of fame.

In 1870 Vasily Perov became a professor. In due course the artist turned to portrait painting. Perov’s portraits are notable for their refined modeling, expressiveness, and conveying characteristic features of the personality.

The artist died of tuberculosis at the age of 48 in Kuzminki village (nowadays it is a part of Moscow) and was laid down to rest at Donskoe Cemetery.