In the early 20th century, the innovative educator Stanislav Shatsky founded the school-colony “Vigorous Life” for children from 8 to 16 years old in Kaluga Oblast. His main pedagogical principle was education through physical work, independence and art. The artist Dmitry Arkhangelsky set up an art studio at the school, but his best students went off to the war front three years later and never returned.

In 1964 the story of the death of one of them was uncovered. The newspaper “Krasnaya Zvezda” published an article entitled “The Mystery of the Found Watercolors”, which reprinted a letter from reserve major, writer Leonid Afonin.

A note from a German veteran was attached to the watercolors: “These drawings were found by me on the battlefield in the wallet of a dead Russian soldier. Perhaps you will be able to find his relatives. I believe these beautiful sketches should be in the homeland of this artist.” One of the watercolors was signed: “Boris Yudin, July 17, 1940,” and the reverse in the same handwriting reads: “July 18, 1940. To Ivan, aged 20.”