Rufin Sudkovsky was born in 1850 in the Ukrainian city of Ochakov. From an early age, he painted seascapes from life. The future artist studied at a theological seminary, but in 1868, without completing his last year, he entered the Academy of Arts. There, the young painter was awarded major and minor silver medals for scenery studies on the given themes.

After the Academy, Sudkovsky came back to his homeland and returned to painting views of the Black Sea. In his early works, one can notice the imitation of famous masters. There were few original creative elements in them — both in the composition of the drawing and in the painting style. Wanting to learn new things, the young artist traveled abroad in 1874, where he improved his technique. The early St. Petersburg exhibitions, which displayed the artist’s works, did not bring him either money or fame. But after an academic exhibition in 1877, the Academy of Arts awarded Sudkovsky the title of artist of the 2nd degree, although he did not pass the exam required for this. The academicians motivated their decision as follows: “as a gesture of special exception and for being unlike others.” Two years later, he was awarded the title of artist of the 1st degree. Marinist Ivan Aivazovsky, upon once seeing the works of Sudkovsky, said: 

Three exhibitions in St. Petersburg (in 1882, 1883 and 1884) brought fame to the master as a marine painter. Sudkovsky painted the elusive movements of the waves, the most bizarre play of light on the water, the calmness of the water element, its transparency and boundlessness. And one of his paintings named “Storm near Ochakov”, exhibited in 1882 at the Society of Art Exhibitions, earned him the title of academician. However, three years later, Rufin Sudkovsky passed away. He died of typhus at the age of 35.

The painting, which is housed in the funds of the Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts, was painted by Sudkovsky in the last year of his life. He depicted the coast of Yalta: the light of the sunset softly hits the stone facades of the buildings on the embankment. Numerous color transitions overlap with each other, creating a fascinating harmony.