Popkov Victor graduated from the Surikov Art Institute, where he studied with E. Kibrik, a famous Soviet graphic artist, however, the main business of his life became not graphics, but painting.

In the early 1960s, in search of his style, the artist departed from the academic works. Popkov made several paintings where he solved the moral and ethical problems of modern life. However, what becomes important to him is not so much the plot as the coloring of the painting. He also has an interest in portraits, as a rule, he depicts close or familiar people as in  Portrait of the Artist E. Igumnov of the museum collection.