Who, to whom, why?
 

Neulyba addition Artist valued separately, and came because - although he is not famous for portraits. Artist, I admit, was a veteran - a professor, one word! And do not say that if the clerk is not that old, and to know would not know anyone of that name, would be a regular, Vasil Vasilev, akin to Ivan Ivanov's expanse of Mother Russia. But it so happened, how it happened. You have the talent - we have a merchant. Neulyba has conceived the series - not svernesh. And then, just because Columbia does not are calling - God himself ordered the portrait to write. And the debt good turn deserves another - there was talk that the artist at that Columbus is not one syuzhetets borrowed. And the artist took, and his first exhibition of some of the Commune on the nose! But the portraits were painted, and then the other, and how, because was a man of great talent. What I explain themselves go guessed, those to whom and for whose portrait has come ...

About Kramskogo immediately thought for some reason ...

In response, he will appear, but as a secondary character. Among the three thought of it not. Clues and hints in the text in abundance. There is better not to guess, going venerable portrait painters, and careful reading and digging for information, if we want to solve. All data are available, check. Good Luck!

Artel.
Thought-Tretyakov.

A series of portraits of Russian writers, commissioned by Pavel Mikhailovich.
Yes, and Columbus, in Tolstoy's like, no?

Suffice rare name-Kramskoy.
That thought about this artist or imagined, because the very things are.
But, on there and the court is not ... (c) :D

That's all the way, and Perov fit.
He also served an order Tretyakov, Ostrovsky, Dostoyevsky ...
And perhaps he, my father, then he had a background Kridener, and mother-Ivanov!
A municipality then-TPHV. Yes, and his name, Vasily ... :D

In your answers are sensible grain. But what subjects could Kramskoi Tolstoy borrow? (... rumored that the artist at that Columbus is not one syuzhetets borrowed ...)
Riddle is not difficult - all the characters "to mean" (in contemporary language, "selebritiz" :), here to dig in Rembrandt's pupils do not.

Added after 10 minutes
Come on, Cyril Syzransky, free hand to defraud - What are the three names.
Neulyba, Artist, Columbus - who are they?

Repin, Turgenev, or what?

Added after 8 minutes
Still, I think, Tretyakov.

Neulyba, as you correctly identified, well-known nickname of Pavel Tretyakov. This is the main hook. Furthermore, these different responses to your names there is one true!

Almost everything has been solved ... all the names were called ...
 Neulyba - Tretyakov, artist - Perov, Colombia - Turgenev
Last Perov, invented clerk, it seems his mentor ... Perov painted on the novel by Turgenev's Fathers and Sons

And why Turgenev is Columbus? Just because it fits?
Again I wish to speak no more, give the correct answer:

Neulyba - well-known nickname of Pavel Tretyakov. conceived a series of portraits of famous artists, he turned to VG Perov's portrait with the order AN Ostrowski, although Vasily before was considered a master of genre painting.
Perov - for my father Kridener, but in view of illegitimacy was recorded Bourgeois Vasily Vasilyev . Perovo nicknamed his secretary, who trained the letter.
For the collection of Pavel Tretyakov Perov wrote a series of portraits, the first of which - AN Ostrovsky, "Columbus Zamoskvorechye», in 1871. In the same year opened the first exhibition of the Association of the Wanderers, which was called the Commune Kramskoi. Same Kramskoy wrote that Perov borrowed plots from Ostrovsky.

In the riddle there is not the important places. " Portrait of Turgenev - in 1872, ie after the exhibition. Comparing the facts, "doge" response was possible, but stopped at the first meeting the appropriate response. Thanks to all who participated, and not only in the forum. Ostrowski did not name anybody.

That's what I wrote yesterday in 13:34.
But you, Mimoprohodil, I have continued to "extort" ravidny response.
Draw the conclusion: I'm your yesterday's riddle guessed at the second attempt!