On May 28, 1740, the outstanding Russian sculptor Fedor Ivanovich Shubin was born in the Arkhangelogorod province. His father was a simple peasant, but despite this, Fedor's talent allowed him to achieve success. He graduated from the Academy of Arts with a large gold medal, which was a rare achievement. His teacher was the famous French sculptor Nicolas-François Gillet.

In 1767, young Shubin, along with his friend Alexei Alexandrovich Ivanov, went abroad to continue his studies. He studied in Paris for three years and then another two years in Rome. At the age of 34, Fedor Ivanovich became an academician. His works adorned the finest palaces of the capital, and he was a sought-after guest at many events.

Throughout his long career, Shubin created several busts of Catherine the Great and her son Paul I. His clients included the most influential and wealthy people of the Russian Empire. Today, the busts of representatives of the Romanov family, the Orlov brothers, Prince Repnin, Countess Panina, the great scholar Lomonosov, the Golitsyn princes, and other works by Shubin are considered priceless masterpieces of Russian sculpture. 58 marble portraits of his work decorate the halls of the Chesme Palace, and another 42 sculptures are located in the Marble Palace.

The sculptor lived for 64 years and enjoyed the favor of the empress and two emperors, who highly valued his creativity. In 1803, Emperor Alexander I appointed him adjunct professor with a corresponding salary.

Fedor Ivanovich passed away on May 24, 1805, and was buried at the Smolensk Orthodox Cemetery. In 1931, his remains were transferred to the Lazarevskoye Cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.