Mikhail Peskov

[1] In 1861, he received a gold medal for his painting "Воззвание к нижегородцам гражданина Минина" (Appeal to the Citizens of Nizhny Novgorod by Minin), which was purchased for 1,000 Rubles by the famous art collector and industrialist, Vasily Kokorev.

He was awarded another gold medal in 1862 for "Кулачный бой при Иоанне IV Васильевиче Грозном" (Fistfight with Ivan the Terrible).

In 1863, he joined the "Revolt of the Fourteen", a group of students who favored Realism and were protesting the Academy's insistence on promoting the Classical style.

Along with the others, he refused to submit a painting on the required subject and withdrew from the Academy, accepting a designation as "Artist Second-Class".

Shortly thereafter, he took part in organizing the Artel of Artists, a type of commune that shared workshops and living space.