Petr Nilus was a painter, graphic artist, and art critic. Born in the village of Busheny, Podolsk province, he hailed fr om a noble family and was the son of a lawyer. His early years were spent in Busheny and later in Odessa, wh ere he received his education at the St. Nicholas Real School Peter and Paul. Nilus pursued his artistic studies at the Odessa Drawing School under the guidance of Kyriak Kostandi from 1883 to 1889.

In 1889, on the recommendation of Ilya Repin, he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts, but his time there was short-lived as he returned to Odessa in 1890. Nilus resided in Odessa and embarked on travels to Germany, Austria, Italy, and France during the 1890s. His artistic repertoire encompassed genre paintings, landscapes, and portraiture. In the early 1900s, Nilus demonstrated a keen interest in Art Nouveau and Impressionism.

After the October Revolution, Nilus played a role in the reorganization of the Odessa Art School and the establishment of the Odessa Union of Plastic Arts. He served as a deputy of the City Council from the labor intelligentsia starting in 1918. Noteworthy works from this period include his series of paintings titled "Manifestation" (1917). He participated in the 1st State Free Exhibition of Works of Art in Petrograd in 1919. Nilus passed away on May 23, 1943, in Paris.