Born in the village of Kostroma province Cortina Chuhlomskogo County, in family of a craftsman.
In 1885 he graduated from the course in St. Petersburg Vladimir city College, studied drawing. In the same year was admitted a student at the Imperial Academy of arts.
In the first year of the Academy came in 1887. Was awarded two large silver medals for drawing and painting in the life class. In the last year of the Academy filed a petition for early exams in order to participate in the competition for a small gold medal.
He graduated from the Academy with honors, receiving a gold medal for the program "the Adoption of Christianity, the Holy Queen Alexandra". In 1891 Porfirovoe was awarded the title of class artist 1-th degree with the right to a pensioner's trip abroad for four years.
In Rome, Porphyry painted Italian pencil figures of the sitters and models, dressing them in medieval costumes. On return home from time to time arranged exhibitions of their works, no more than one picture a year, "frina". "Danae", "Messalina".
Ivan was a member of the "Society of mutual welfare of Russian artists" and "society of artists of historical painting".
In 1897 – 1898 years he wrote cartoons for the mosaics of the Church of the Resurrection. Porphyry was part of the society "Mossanovski Mondays", and in 1911 was its Chairman. To the 300 anniversary of reign of the Romanov dynasty, he performed a large canvas, "Ivan Susanin" and put it on Nevsky prospect, near Kazan Cathedral. But, according to his colleagues, the picture was hardly artistic interest.
In 1916, the artist paints a symbolic picture of the "Holy Rus and the enemy is fierce". Two years later participates in the design area Michael the Archangel for the first anniversary of the October revolution.
