It was hard to imagine what kind of future Vasily Tropinin, a serf of Count Anton Münnich, who was later given to the landowner Irakly Morkov, could have had. Vasily Tropinin was born in 1776 in the village of Karpovo, Novgorod Governorate, and in his youth lived in Ukraine, in the Podolsk Governorate.
Tropinin painted portraits of his landowner and his family members, as well as his teenage son and other persons. Irakly Morkov, his owner, facilitated his studies at the Academy of Arts under Stepan Shchukin in 1798–1804. Later the artist recalled,
Tropinin painted portraits of his landowner and his family members, as well as his teenage son and other persons. Irakly Morkov, his owner, facilitated his studies at the Academy of Arts under Stepan Shchukin in 1798–1804. Later the artist recalled,