19.08.1839 – 17.02.1914

August 19 was born the Russian artist Mikhail Petrovich Botkin – the author of a number of paintings on a historical theme, biblical subjects, as well as genre paintings. Happened from the Moscow merchant family Botkiny, engaged in the trade of tea. The brother of the writer and critic Vasily Petrovich, collector Dmitry Petrovich and the famous physician Sergei Petrovich Botkin. Sister Mikhail Petrovich – Maria Petrovna was married to the poet A.A. Fet.

The future artist lost his mother early, but at the age of fourteen and his father. Education and education of Mikhail was engaged in his elder brother Vasily.
In 1856 Mikhail Botkin entered the Imperial Academy of Arts. Two years later he went abroad and lived for several years in Germany, France and, mainly, in Italy. Returning home in 1863, Mikhail Botkin, exhibited in the Academy of two paintings: “Bacchante with a tambourine” and “Lamentations of the Jews on the rivers of Babylon,” for which the council of the Academy he was awarded the title of academician.

Devoted to art, M.P. Botkin devoted a lot of time to social and artistic activities, he constantly participated in the affairs of the Council of the Academy of Arts, the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and various commissions, and was also actively involved in archeology, which left an imprint on his collector interests. M.P. Botkin was the owner of a magnificent collection of “antiquities”, the collection of which was conducted for fifty years. Artistic, public and collecting activity MPBotkin combined with successful commercial and industrial activities. He was one of the directors of the Russian Society of Shipping and Trade, Chairman of the Board of the I Russian Insurance Company, a member of the Board of the St. Petersburg Commercial Bank.

The artist died in February 1914, was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery of St. Petersburg.