Born 17 March in Kyiv, Ukraine, Orloff began his early art training with painter Vyacheslav Korenev at the Kyiv Academy of Art. He then continued his studies in the United States, first in New York and later studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the city where he came to prominence.
He exhibited portraits and scenes of daily urban life, with many of his works presenting a reassuring image in this post-depression era. This picture, Solitude, shows a lone woman enjoying the tranquility of a lakefront park, the cool water and lush gardens providing a welcome respite from the densely built surrounding Chicago metropolis.