From 1891 to 1893, Vladimirov studied drawing at the school in his hometown Vilnius and then went on to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), he was a war correspondent and was in charge of painting the bravery of the soldiers against the enemy. The first world war saw him in the same role and he collaborated on French illustration and some American magazines.

A realist painter, Vladimirov received praise from Ilya Repine and worked as a portrait painter for a series of major events of 1917-1918, before joining the Association of Revolutionary Artists....