Gravestone of Mikhail Avilov

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Mikhail Ivanovich Avilov was born in Saint Petersburg on September 6, 1882, a city where he would spend most of his life. He studied drawing at the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of Arts from 1893 to 1903 and then honed his skills in private studios under artist Leon Dmitriev-Kavkazsky. Avilov went on to study at the prestigious Imperial Academy of Arts, where he was a pupil of Franz Roubaud and Mykola Samokysh. Avilov's artistic talents were recognized early on, as he began participating in art exhibitions in 1908. His unique style soon earned him a spot in various galleries across Russia. The Russian painter served in the First World War, after which he taught at several institutions, including the School of Drawing Society for the Encouragement of Arts and the College of Industrial Art. In 1923 Avilov became an exhibitor at AKhRR, and two years later, he co-founded the Leningrad Union of Soviet Artists. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Stalin Prize for his battle painting "Duel Peresvet with Chelubey at the Kulikovo Field" in 1943. Avilov was also awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and the honorary title People's Artist of the Russian Federation. Mikhail Ivanovich Avilov passed away on April 14, 1954, leaving behind a legacy as one of the Soviet Union's most renowned artists. His works can be found in museums across Russia, Ukraine, Japan, China, France, England, and other countries.