Valaam Monastery
Westchiloff received his first painting lessons at Valaam Monastery under the guidance of Father Luke, who was in charge of painting the main cathedral of the monastery. At the age of 15, in 1893, Westchiloff began studies at the Drawing School of the Society for the Promotion of the Arts in St. Petersburg. He continued studies there until 1896, when he began a two-year term of studies under Ilya Repin at the St. Petersburg art school founded by Princess Maria Tenisheva.