Stanislav Sidorov, 1954 | Romantic Impressionist painter

American artist with Russian heritage Станислав Сидоров was born in the city of Blagoveshchensk, in the Far East of Russia.

This Town is the capital of the Amur Region and has a unique location directly on the border with China.

Stanislav came from a family of artist's who nurtured and encouraged his creative talent.

He started his art education as a child in the Creative school for Gifted kids then, 4 years in college, then 6 years In the Vladivostok University of Fine Art with formal studies focused on the traditions of the Russian Realistic School of painting characterized by artist's of the 19th century.

Le Nain Brothers | The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1640

A group gathers around a manger to adore the newborn Christ.

On the right, the Virgin Mary and Joseph gaze reverently at the infant, alongside two small angels.

On the left are two young boys and an old, barefooted man: they are the shepherds mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (2: 8-20).

Le Nain Brothers (fl. 17th century) | The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1640 | The National Gallery, London

Apostolos Geralis | Genre painter

Apostolos Geralis /Απόστολος Γεραλής (1886-1983) was born on the island of Mytelene and died in Athens, Greece.

In 1896 he enrolled at The School of Fine Arts, Athens, where he studied painting under Dimitrios Geraniotis, Spyros Vikatos, Georgios Jakobides and Georgios Roilos.

Between 1910-1915 he held a teaching position at the Pancyprian Gymnasium, Nicosia and later, between 1919-1920 he continued his studies in Paris, at The Julian Academy.

Georgios Jakobides | Genre painter

Greek painter Γεώργιος Ιακωβίδης / Georgios Jakobides (1853-1932) founded and was the first curator of the National Gallery of Greece in Athens.

Georgios Jakobides was one of the main representatives of the Greek artistic movement of the Munich School.

He was one of the thirty "immortal" members of Athen’s Academy when firstly created, in 1926.

His paintings, over 200, are found in the National Gallery of Athens, private collections and in museums and art galleries around the world including art galleries in Germany and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Vasily Polenov | Woman walking in a forest park, 1883

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov / Васи́лий Дми́триевич Поле́нов (1844-1927) was born in Saint-Petersburg.

His family placed great emphasis on the importance of art and culture.

Indeed his father, Dmitri Vassilievitch Polenov (1806-1872) was a connoisseur of the artistic world, and his mother, Maria Alexeievna Voeïkova (1816-1895) a gifted portraitist of the Brullov school.

He spent his childhood in Saint-Petersburg, a major cultural center and Carely, in the Olonentsky countryside.

Safet Zec, 1943 | Poetic Realism painter

"I want my art to contribute to the strengthening of the much-needed moral renewal, which alone can break this unbearable veil of indifference".

"The way we look at the world has changed and I try to reflect this in my paintings" - Safet Zec.

Bosnian painter and engraver Safet Zec was born in Rogatica, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

After graduating from the Secondary School of Arts in Sarajevo, he continued his studies of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where he graduated in 1969 and completed his specialization in 1972.

Miloslava Vrbova-Štefková | Ballet dancers

Czech artist Miloslava Vrbova-Štefková (1909-1991) was an traditionalist post-impressionist painter.

During the 1937-1938 Miloslava Vrbova-Štefková studied at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris with Czech Abstract painter František Kupka (1871-1957).

Besides the dancers, the ballet scenes and portraits, Miloslava Vrbova also painted landscapes and the Prague urban motifs, religious scenes (the Crucifixion in the church Žinkovie), still lifes and flowers.

Arthur John Elsley | Genre painter

Arthur John Elsley (20 November 1860 - 19 February 1952) was an English painter of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, famous for his idyllic genre scenes of playful children and their pets.

He achieved great popularity during his life and much of his work appeared in calendars, magazines and books.

Elsley was born in London, one of six children of John Elsley, coachman and amateur artist, and Emily Freer.

Elsley's father had exhibited at the British Institution Exhibition in 1845 but later in life contracted tuberculosis which forced him into early retirement.