Vasily Tropinin was a renowned Russian artist, a representative of Romanticism in Russian fine art, and a master of portraiture. He was born into serfdom in the village of Karpovka and initially trained as a pastry chef. However, he showed a talent for drawing and secretly attended classes at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. Later, he obtained permission from his master and continued his artistic pursuits, meeting other artists like Orest Kiprensky.

Tropinin's early works were classical and restrained in color and composition. However, he gradually embraced a more romantic and expressive style, exemplified in paintings like "Portrait of his son" and the famous portrait of Alexander Pushkin. He became known for his sentimental and poetic approach, especially evident in works like "Lace Maker" and "The Guitarist." He also created multiple versions of some compositions and depicted fellow artists in contemplation.

Throughout his career, Tropinin maintained an intimate and homely flavor in his portraits, often portraying models in a non-fancy manner. His later works showed a fading of coloristic skill but foreshadowed the interest in dramatic everyday life seen in the "Peredvizhniki" movement.

Tropinin's artistic legacy remains significant, and he is considered a prominent figure in the Moscow romantic school. He passed away in Moscow in 1857.