Alexey Kivshenko showed early artistic talent. He studied at the St. Petersburg School of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and was influenced by Ivan Kramskoy. Kivshenko later enrolled in the Academy of Arts, where he made important connections and gained recognition for his paintings. Although his initial work, "Marriage in Cana of Galilee," received criticism, he achieved success with his painting "Military Council in Fili," which gained acclaim both in Russia and abroad. Kivshenko became a favorite artist of Emperor Alexander III and received commissions depicting significant events in Russian history.

In 1880, Kivshenko embarked on a European trip, spending several years in France and Germany creating new paintings. His return to Russia brought him the title of academician, and he continued to focus on historical themes in his works, particularly in his series titled "The History of Russia in Paintings for School and Home." Emperor Alexander III commissioned Kivshenko to gather material for paintings related to the Russian-Turkish war, and later, he embarked on a challenging journey to Palestine and Syria, creating sketches and illustrations for a guidebook. Unfortunately, Kivshenko passed away before the publication of the book. In his final years, he dedicated himself to teaching and passed on his skills to a new generation of artists.