Nikolay Gritsenko

When he was nineteen, he enrolled at the Kronstadt Technical School, Maritime Department [ru], from which he graduated and was assigned to several vessels, including the cruiser, Vladimir Monomakh.

His talent was noted by his superiors and, in 1885, he became a "guest-student" (auditor) at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, where he came under the guidance of the maritime artist, Lev Lagorio.

In 1890, he took part in the Eastern journey of Nicholas II, joining his retinue in Trieste.

[2] He resigned from the service in 1894, and was appointed an official artist for the Imperial Naval Ministry [ru].

His wife, Lyubov Pavlovna Tretyakova (1870-1928), was the daughter of the philanthropist and art collector, Pavel Tretyakov.