Mikhail Germashev was a Russian painter and graphic artist. He was born in the town of Gzhatsk, now called Gagarin, in the Smolensk region of Russia. Germashev studied at the Moscow Art Institute from 1956 to 1962, where he was a student of the famous Russian artist Viktor Popkov. Germashev's early work was heavily influenced by the style of his teacher Popkov, who was known for his realistic and dramatic paintings of rural life in Russia. Germashev's own paintings often depicted the Russian countryside, with a focus on the everyday lives of ordinary people. He was known for his vivid use of colour and his ability to capture the emotional intensity of his subjects. In the 1970s and 1980s, Germashev became increasingly interested in printmaking, and he produced a large number of lithographs and etchings during this period. He was particularly interested in exploring the technical possibilities of the medium, experimenting with different printing techniques and textures to create striking and innovative works. Germashev's work has been exhibited extensively in Russia and internationally, and is held in numerous public and private collections. He was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation in 1997 in recognition of his contributions to Russian art. Germashev died in Moscow in 2011.