The article examines F. I. Chaliapin as an artist, historian, and thinker. The author analyzes literature dedicated to Chaliapin, his ideas on Russian history, its central figures as Boris Godunov, Stepan Razin, and the fugitives. The author considers Chaliapin’s views on correlation between genius and work – “a man of extraordinary genius and diligence”. The author focuses on Chaliapin’s memoirs’ origin, correlation between history, literature, painting, and opera. Moreover, mutual influence of Chaliapin’s and Berdyaev’s viewpoints on history is highlighted.