Ivan was born in 1908 in the west of the Russian empire (village Dobromerichi, Holmskiy region). In 1925 entered the artistic school in Mirgorod. In 1927 entered Kiev Artistic Unstitute, was studying at the famous artist Krichevskiy’s course. Went through the Great Patriotic War. In 1949 graduated from Kiev Academy and started to teach in Muhina Artistic Institute. At the same time he was elected as chairman of artistic section of the Artist’s Union (Leningrad branch). Ivan Godlevskiy had been studying the basics of impressionism very deeply and created his own well-known style.

Passed away in 1998.