In the spring of 1880, everyone in St. Petersburg was talking only about the new painting by Arkhip Kuindzhi. Art lovers already knew him well, but there were rumors that this painting of his was truly something extraordinary. Friends, and even just acquaintances of the artist, tried their best to get into his studio and take at least one look at the master’s new creation. Among them were I. Turgenev, Y. Polonsky, D. Mendeleev, I. Kramskoy and even Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich himself, who was so delighted with the painting that he immediately bought it - for quite a lot of money! But he was a subtle, intelligent man who knew and felt art very well.