Vilhems Purvītis was born in Zaube Parish (now Cēsis Municipality), Kreis Riga, in the Governorate of Livonia in a family of a miller. He studied in a local parish school until his family moved to Vitebsk Governorate. Until 1888 Purvītis studied in a municipal school in Drissa (Today: Belarus). It was here where his drawing skills were noticed for the first time. When his family returned to Vidzeme Purvītis worked in his father's mill in Smiltene parish for two years.
Artist worked as an art teacher- mainly focusing on drawing.