Mihail Chemiakin was born in Moscow in 1943 and studied art at the famous Repin art academy. His remarkable talent and insatiable hunger for innovations led him to challenge the establishment. In 1971, Chemiakin left the Soviet Union and settled in Paris where his unique imagery was already familiar to European collectors. It was in Paris that he produced his Carnival at St. Petersberg and his Metaphysical Series, which are among his most renowned periods, proving a mastery of color and form. In 1980, Chemiakin moved to New York where he presently resides and continues his work. Today, his artwork is featured in all of the major cultural centers of the world. Chemiakin's explosive career has led him to be one of the most acclaimed contemporary Russian artists in the world.

In Chemiakin’s painting masquerade, we are treated to fantastic imagery as we view a uniformed French gentleman in the foreground, who appears to be riding some type of animal. Behind the animal appears another uniformed figure whose abstracted facial features include the profiled image of a face. Still another figure stands in the background, his upturned face rendered with a mask over his eyes. Bright primary colors create a festive atmosphere in this painting, not unlike the mood of a 19th century masquerade ball.