Born in Kazan, Russia in 1881, Nicolai Fechin arrived in New York City with his family in 1923. His career as a portrait painter flourished there, but after three years, Fechin contracted tuberculosis and was ordered by his doctor to move to a dry climate. John Young Hunter, an artist acquaintance had enthusiastically recommended Taos, and in 1927, Fechin accepted Mabel Dodge Luhan's invitation to visit the art colony. Fechin immediately connected with the landscape and the people of New Mexico and his six years in Taos proved to be one of the most productive periods in his career.

The landscape and architecture of the southwest fascinated Fechin, and although he had rarely painted landscapes in Russia, he was inspired to paint them continually during his time in Taos. Fechin identified with the simple lifestyle of the Pueblo Indians and the mountains and rivers of New Mexico, all of which reminded him of his childhood in rural Kazan. The vivid colors of the Pueblo Indians' dress and the bright sunlight of New Mexico inspired the artist to experiment with a bolder style and palette. After he left Taos in 1934, Fechin moved back to New York, then to California, where he continued to paint. The body of work produced during his years in Taos is considered to be Fechin's outstanding achievement in America.

Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton