The name of the artist Nikolai Vasilyevich Nevrev is somewhat forgotten today, although he was quite popular during his lifetime, and his paintings always attracted public attention. Nevrev primarily worked in a genre style, depicting scenes from everyday life. Among his works, notable paintings include "The Return of the Soldier to His Homeland," "The Matchmaking," and "Family Settlements." Standing out is his humorous painting "The Protodeacon Proclaiming Long Life at Merchant Name Days," created in 1866.

The plot of the painting unfolds in the living room of a merchant's house, where name days are being celebrated. At that time, wealthy merchants often invited priests to such events. The central figure in the painting is the protodeacon, who tries to justify the fee he received. Nevrev depicted him caricaturally: with incredible strength and loudness, he sings "many years-a-a-a," creating the impression that he is about to burst. A boy on the right looks at him in fear, while a grandmother, accustomed to such singing, is not surprised.

The people on the right side of the painting regard the deafening singing with respect, while the men on the left are openly amused. Some even join in singing along with the protodeacon, which is forbidden by canon. One of the merchants, surprised by the powerful bass, pours wine into a glass, clearly more amused than contemplating the church song about the health of the celebrant.

Publicist Ivan Shmelev mentioned this work in his piece "The Lord's Summer": "The protodeacon got carried away beyond measure, but he showed himself in such a way that in the hallway a fur coat fell from the hanger. Such a long life he proclaimed, that no one even remembered such a spiritual shock." After the painting entered the Tretyakov Gallery, it became popular due to its accurate depiction of merchant life.