Illustrated book publishers Soykina.
A boy brought him from the provinces to St. Petersburg, where he painted street cabinets. Funds of the merchant Tarasov Railean was in school draftsmen, then to the Academy of fine Arts, from which he graduated in the class of the famous Chistyakov, educator talent Repin, Vrubel and Polenov. During the period of study, he received medals: in 1886 two 2 silver; in 1887 - a big incentive; in 1888 - a big incentive. February 23, 1889 - the title of class artist.
Brush ripe Raylene belongs the portrait of the wife of the brother of a revolutionist Vera Figner singer Medea Figner (Mei), who shined at the Mariinsky theatre a quarter of a century, from 1887 to 1912, the first performer Lisa in the Queen of spades. Illustrations in publications Soykina too secular creations Rilana, but the main business of his life was religious painting. Academician he did not, although his candidacy was put forward by prominent figures of art, who appreciated a bright and original talent: a sharp tongue is prevented to raise the money necessary for the election of two-thirds of the votes. Shortly before the first world war Railean painted the brainchild of L. N. Benoit — New Warsaw Cathedral; the color of the frescoes were so cheerful that strict theologians was confused and indignant. Received for the work sixty thousand, Thomas Rodionovich began to publish a magazine "Free Arts" and the newspaper "Against the tide". Through them he sought to enter in the world reading the best works of world art; here, from room to room, he smashed the mediocrity and laziness, which he saw among the representatives of art before the revolution. The response was weak, magazine and newspaper did not last long, the artist suffered ruin.
(From the book by T. A. Shumovsky Light from the East)
