Background
His father, Pyotr Prokopovich (1795-1843) and grandfather, Prokopy Danilovich (1764-c1811) were painters. His first art lessons came from his father while he was attending the public schools.
His father, Pyotr Prokopovich (1795-1843) and grandfather, Prokopy Danilovich (1764-c1811) were painters. His first art lessons came from his father while he was attending the public schools.
In 1856, he enrolled at the Imperial Academy of Arts and studied with Alexey Markov.
Upon his return to Saint St. Petersburg in 1869, he presented two large paintings with several portraits and watercolors and was appointed a Professor of history and portrait painting at the Academy, a position he held for twenty years. The following year, he created decorations on themes from Russian folk poetry in the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir. In 1891, he published an album, featuring portraits of notable people and scenes from history, which became very popular.
Later, thanks to a stipend from the Academy, he was able to study in Europe, especially Rome, where he copied the Old Masters, and won a gold medal at the International Exposition in Paris in 1867. In 1873, he received another gold medal at the Vienna Exposition, and did further decorative work at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (1875-1879) and in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
