Russian family of painters. Sergey (Petrovich) Tkachov (b Chugunovka, Bryansk region, 1922) and his brother Aleksey (Petrovich) Tkachov (b Chugunovka, 11 Sept 1925) studied in the Surikov Institute in Moscow from 1945 to 1952 under Igor’ Grabar’, Sergey Gerasimov and Georgy Ryazhsky. The traditions of the Union of Russian Artists had a particular influence on the formation of their style, as well as the paintings of Gerasimov and, in particular, Arkady Plastov, with their emotional, saturated, impressionistic colouring and keen interest in the themes of rural labour, life and landscape.