son of a priest
with Ivan Kramskoy at the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts Drawing School (1867-68, St Petersburg); Imperial Academy of Arts, St Petersburg (1869-75)
1878 – joins the Wanderers (Peredvizhniki), a group of anti-establishment Realist artists
1880s - becomes involved in the Old Russian Revival; produces book illustrations, stage designs and architecture
1885 – begins work on a series of murals for St Vladimir cathedral (Kiev); produces stage decorations for Nikolay Rimsk-Korsakov’s opera The Snow Maiden
1893 - becomes full member of Russian Academy of Arts
1903 - joins Society for the Encouragement of Arts
1905 - resigns from Russian Academy of Arts
1906 – supplies the design for the façade of the Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow)
1910 - establishes with Vyatka Art and History Museum
1918 - joins Union of Russian Artists
Paris (1876-77); Italy (1885)
Three Princesses of the Underground Kingdom, 1881 (Treyakov Gallery, Moscow)
Heroes (Bogatyri), 1898
Savva Mamontov
Shanina, N. Victor Vasnetsov, V. Friedman, trans. Leningrad: Aurora Art, 1979