He came from a family of merchants who were engaged in the tea trade. His mother died when he was two and, when he was fourteen, his father died so his upbringing was completed by his older brother Vasily. In 1856, he entered the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Fyodor Zavyalov (ru) and Fyodor Bruni. Two years later, he decided to travel, spending several years in Germany, France and Italy.
He came from a family of merchants who were engaged in the tea trade. His mother died when he was two and, when he was fourteen, his father died so his upbringing was completed by his older brother Vasily. In 1856, he entered the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Fyodor Zavyalov (ru) and Fyodor Bruni. Two years later, he decided to travel, spending several years in Germany, France and Italy.