Polish artist Jan Paevsky. Father mermaids
 

Painting late 19, early 20 th century. Oil on canvas. Restored in 2007. Size 67x97

Bio http://pag.iatp.org.ge/ru/paewski.html
Poles - artists of Georgia http://www.nukri.org/index.php?name=...le&sid=786

It seems that this is a miller from the "Mermaid" Pushkin. Maybe its offer in Pushkin Museum? There is an indication in the story?

From what I know, this "miller", a mystical character. If you imagine what the word "witch", rather it is the same, but in the masculine. In other words, the witcher, if I may say so.

In the base artpraysa this artist is not, ie auction statistics either. Search on Polish sites (despite the fact that he lived in Georgia), possibly some kind of thread and will.

Welcome!
The artist's work Paevsky Ian /Ivan (Paevskii) "Wandering worker" (canvas, oil), size 18 x 13 in. /45.7 x 33 cm. was sold at Christie's in South Kensington July 19, 1990 [Lot 167] in the auction "British and continental art.
Unfortunately, at Christie's auction data about the results until 1998, no.