Diaghilev in the article entitled 'Po povodu knigi Benua Istoriia russkoi zhivopisi v XIX veke, chast' II' ('Apropos of Benois's book History of Russian Painting in 19th Century. Part II) published in World of Art, no. 11, criticised Benois for his lack of objectivity in judgements of artists of the previous generation and not belonging to his circle, such as Vasilii Vereshchagin and Viktor Vasnetsov.