His father was a member of the minor gentry, and was the author of a book titled The Statistical Economic Review of the Southern Part of Tula Guberniya.

He began his education at the Gymnasium in Oryol, but didn't complete his studies before enrolling at the Imperial Academy of Arts, where his instructors were Timofey Neff and Alexey Tarasovich Markov.

[1] In 1862, he received a gold medal for his painting "The Flight of Grigory Otrepyev from the Inn at the Lithuanian Border" (a scene from Boris Godunov by Pushkin).

Shortly thereafter, he became one of the founders of the "Association of Travelling Art Exhibitions" (Peredvizhniki),[1] remaining a fervent participant and supporter for the rest of his life.

[4] In 1889, he acquired a large manor house in Poltava, complete with a park, ponds and gardens,[2] where Ivan rejoined the family.