The artist Nikolay Yefimovich Rachkov was born in the family of an art teacher in Nizhny Novgorod in 1825. His father taught him his first skills in fine arts. He sent his 13 year-old son to the Arzamas school of painting, which was headed by the painter Alexander Stupin. Among the artists who studied at this school were Nikolay Alekseev, Ivan Gorbunov, Vasily Perov and others. Students of this school worked for churches, painting walls and icons.

After seven years of study at the Arzamas school, Nikolay Rachkov continued his education at the Academy of Arts. In 1844, the artist was awarded two silver medals. A year later, he was awarded the title of Unclassed, or Free, Artist in portrait painting at the Imperial Academy of Arts for “Portrait of a Gypsy Woman”.

In 1846, Nikolay Yefimovich began teaching at the Arzamas school of painting and assisted Alexander Stupin in his directorship.

Later, the artist set off on a journey across Russia. He traveled to different cities for about 10 years, visiting Saratov, Simbirsk, Kazan, Shuya and others.

In 1860, Rachkov moved to Moscow. During that period, he joined the Moscow Society of Art Lovers. Starting in 1863, he exhibited his works in the art exhibitions of the association.

Rachkov gained first customers and patrons of the arts. Thus, with the assistance of entrepreneur and collector Dmitry Botkin, Nikolay Rachkov visited Europe several times. The artist was friends with the entrepreneur Kozma Soldatyonkov, who introduced him to the Moscow literary society. Nikolay Rachkov knew the lyric poet Afanasy Fet.

During these years the artist actively cooperated with the magazines “Iskra”, “Guslyar” and “Illustration”, where he worked as an illustrator.

In his mature years, the artist turned to two favorite genres of fine art — portraiture and genre scenes. His images of children and girls were especially popular.

The exhibition at the Alexander Grigoriev Art and History Museum includes a painting by Nikolay Rachkov “Portrait of a Boy”. This work was transferred to the museum from the Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow in 1925.

His paintings were purchased by many patrons of the arts, including Pavel Tretyakov.

The artist lived and worked in Moscow in his last years. In 1895, Nikolay Rachkov died at the age of 77.