The art collection of the Rusanov House Museum contains Ilya Vylka’s painting “Rusanov’s Expedition in the Ice of the Kara Sea.”

Tyko (Russian name Ilya Konstantinovich) Vylka (February 16 (28), 1886 — September 28, 1960) was a Soviet Nenets artist, storyteller, social and political figure. Ilya Vylka was born in Novaya Zemlya. He showed interest in fine arts at a young age. The first artist Vylka saw was the painter Aleksander Borisov, who took part in the Novaya Zemlya expedition in 1896. Borisov, and later other travelers, encouraged the young man in his attempts at drawing, providing paper, paints, and pencils. The acquaintance with the polar traveler Vladimir Rusanov and participation in his expeditions as a guide played a crucial role in Ilya Vylka’s life. He worked as a guide in Rusanov’s expeditions in 1909, 1910 and 1911, and Rusanov’s respect for Vylka increased from year to year. At first, the explorer regarded Vylka only as a good guide, who also knew how to draw. Then Rusanov realized that Tyko differed from other guides — he knew Novaya Zemlya much better than others, had an excellent memory and an ability to make accurate distance estimations.

In Rusanov’s expeditions, Tyko felt for the first time that he was not only an obliging guide who showed the visitors the easiest and safest routes. He was a full member of the expedition, contributing his knowledge, skills, and energy to the common cause. Together with the expedition he studied his land. Rusanov noticed and appreciated Vylka’s endowment and was instrumental in making the artist’s work known to the public. In 1910, the exhibition “Russian North” was organized in Arkhangelsk, attracting public attention. Several landscapes by Vylka featuring Novaya Zemlya were on display. Vladimir Rusanov believed that Vylka needed to study, so he brought the aspiring artist to Moscow, where Vylka studied under the famous painters Abram Arkhipov and Vasily Perepletchikov, who taught him the basics of professional art. However, their lessons apparently had little influence on Vylka’s original style.

In August 1910, the ship “Dmitry Solunsky” went around Cape Zhelaniya from the west, then entered the Kara Sea and went along the eastern shores of Novaya Zemlya to Matochkin Strait. The success of Vladimir Rusanov’s expedition in 1910 was truly outstanding.