
Russian artist Fedot Sychkov (1870 -1958) was born into a poor peasant family in the village Kochelaevo, Penza province. When the future artist was twelve years old, he lost his father. Remaining without bread children and mother, had to go from house to house with a knapsack, to collect “for Christ’s sake.” The student of a primary school the boy showed his talent in drawing, with a help of his teacher he was sent to St. Petersburg art school. Since childhood Fedot Sychkov showed a talent for painting. Worked in icon painting workshop, painted frescoes in churches, drew portraits from photographs.

Biography
In 1892 he went to St. Petersburg, in the School of Drawing Society for the Encouragement of Arts, with the support of General Arapov who paid attention to a talented young self-taught artist. In 1895 he graduated from the School of Drawing and became a volunteer at the Higher Art School at the Academy of Arts. After graduating, he returned to his homeland. In 1900 he was awarded for his painting “The news from the war.” The main theme of the artist – the life of the peasants, rural holidays.

Paintings of Fedot Sychkov attract with gaiety of colors, white smile framed by colored scarves, sun shine and snow aroma of wild herbs. He received six awards for academic exhibitions in St. Petersburg. He was awarded the silver medal at the show in St. Louis (USA). He earned an honorable mention at the International Exhibition in Rome. And in 1908 personally visited England, France and Germany. Hardly these trips have added something to his realistic, purely Russian painting. But a sense of satisfaction from an overseas voyage as a result has been achieved, of course, was. On arrival in Russia he returned to his native Kochelaevo.

Behind every genius creator is a woman who supports him. This muse for Fedot Sychkov has become his wife – Lidia. She, like her husband, was keenly interested in popular culture, including Mordovia. Lidia carefully collected items of national costume, jewelry. Her collection has included an incredible amount of shawls, shirts, hats, belts, beads. All this wealth used in his portraits Fedot Vasilevich. Russian artist Fedot Sychkov died in Saransk, being honored art worker of Mordovia