The history of fine arts, including Russian art, is replete with examples where an artist lived a very short life but managed to bring out their full potential and demonstrate their extraordinary and tremendous talent. One of these stars that shone brightly and burned out quickly was Fyodor Vasiliev whose landscapes continue to amaze viewers with their lyricism and fine precise rendering of the eternal beauty of nature.

Fyodor Vasiliev is known to the general public as a painter who created internationally recognized masterpieces, including such particularly beloved works as “Thaw”, “After Rain”, and “Wet Meadow”. His drawings are way less famous but deserve as much credit and attention. This drawing titled “Sheepfold” is conclusive proof of that. Contemporaries recognized Vasiliev’s extraordinary talent as a drawing artist. “The things he could do with a pencil were remarkable and singular, ” Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy reminisced. “Vasiliev’s magic pencil can capture anything, ” Ilya Repin observed.

Kramskoy and Vasiliev met in 1867 when the seventeen-year-old Fyodor started attending the gatherings of the Artel of Artists. He was mischievous, cheerful, and light-hearted — the very opposite of Ivan Kramskoy, he still became the artist’s favorite. He was exceptionally talented, sociable, and always smiling, and had an irresistible youthful charm. In 1871, Kramskoy painted a portrait of Fyodor Vasiliev, giving his whole heart to it as he always did in cherishing his student and friend.

Any boundaries related to their age difference were erased quickly.

Initially, Kramskoy was cautious and watched the boisterous young man from the side, “His manners were self-confident, off-hand, almost impertinent, and at the age of seventeen, he was neither taciturn nor humble.” Later, Ivan Kramskoy got used to it, became fascinated with the boy, and eventually worshiped him, “You have reached impossible, divine heights… I can only say one thing: it is not yet good, but it is already genius. I have seen what painting should actually be like.”