In 1902–1904, the famous Russian artist and book illustrator Ivan Bilibin took part in ethnographic expeditions to northern Russia. He photographed old, often abandoned churches and ordinary peasant houses.

In 1904, Bilibin visited Eastern Karelia (Petrozavodsky and Povenetsky Uyezds of Olonets Governorate and Kemsky Uyezd of Arkhangelsk Governorate). Artist wrote about Kizhi Island: “Nowhere have I ever seen such a scale of construction imagination as in Kizhi, Olonets Governorate, Petrozavodsky Uyezd. … What was the architect, who built churches like these!”

Later, Ivan Bilibin used collected materials in his illustration work. His interest in folk art is clearly visible in his style, which has been described as a Russian variation of Art Nouveau.