Boris Kriukow was born on January 19, 1895 in Orhiyiv, Bessarabia (now Moldova). The name was russified from "Krukiv". His father was an official in the court of justice of that town.

After finishing the Kyiv Art School in 1918, he concentrated on graphic art. In the interwar period he illustrated over 500 books, among them works by Shevchenko, Franko, Dickens, Antonenko-Davydovych, etc., as well as books for children by N. Zabila, L. Pervomaysky, and others. He was recognized as one of the best graphic artists in Ukraine. During World War Two, 1943, he moved to Lviv, where he took part in an exhibition, one of his paintings being called by art critics "the jewel" of that exhibition. From 19...