Victor Mikhailovich Malyi was born in 1946 in the city of Zhdanov of Donetsk region, at present it is Mariupol’. He graduated from Krasnodar Art School with honors in 1967. After graduating Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after Vasily Ivanovich Surikov in 1976, Victor Malyi had a probation period at that Institute. Then he became a teacher of Moscow State Academic Art Institute. Nowadays he is a professor. Victor Mikhailovich is a member of Moscow Union of Artists and a member of the Union of Artists of Russia. His pictures are in museums, private collections and art galleries in Russia and abroad.

Since 1970-s Malyi was a frequent visitor in Gorokhovets. Firstly, he used to come with students of Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after Vasily Ivanovich Surikov to paint in the open air in summer. In some years Victor Mikhailovich became a great friend of Gorokhovets historical-architectural museum. Malyi has been a great friend and a popularizer of the museum for many years. He is attracted by ancient things conserved in the museum. Under the agreement with the museum administration he painted some pictures of the museum expositions, still lives. Later Victor Mikhailovich donated some pictures to Gorokhovets historical-architectural museum.

The picture “The Red Chamber” was painted by Victor Malyi in the period of close creative union of the artist and Gorokhovets museum in 1995. Strict academic style of Victor Malyi’s painting conveys solemnity of 

the main and the most beautiful chamber of Gorokhovets merchant Simeon Ershov best of all. The Red Corner with icons, books and ukrasy (decoration) of windows was painted in classical style, precisely, clear, with all the details. The atmosphere of Domostroy — the mode of life of the XVII^th century in Russia was conveyed.