24.03 1782 – 17.10 1836

The life of Orest Kiprensky is full of mysteries and mysteries. The illegitimate son of the landowner Dyakonov was brought up in the family of the serf Adam Schwalbe. In 1788 he was enrolled in the Educational School at the Academy of Arts. Despite the fact that the artist was trained in the class of historical painting, his talent more fully revealed in the genre of the portrait. He became not only the leading portraitist of his time, but also an unrivaled master of romantic painting.

The portrait of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, commissioned by Anton Delvig in 1827, is probably the artist’s most famous work. Reproductions from her adorn the study rooms in many schools of the country. Of the numerous portraits of the great Russian poet, this picture is highlighted by some romantic generalized image. Pushkin is depicted in three quarters to the viewer, his view is thoughtful and sad, the poet is immersed in reflections, the entire canvas is imbued with spirituality.

However, Kiprensky considered his true vocation historical painting, he wrote portraits mainly for the sake of earnings. As soon as peace came in Europe, Kiprensky went to Italy with the intention of writing a significant historical painting that would bring him fame and fame. The painting “Anacreon’s Tomb” had no success.

The artist returned to Petersburg in 1823 and was very coldly received. The reason for this was two mysterious stories, firstly, in Italy, a model posing for Kiprensky was killed, and secondly, he took under the protection of a ten-year-old girl Mariucci, to whom he was extremely attached. Hard work and talented work returned the Kiprensky favor of the upper world. In 1828, the artist returned to Italy, where he lived until the end of his days. He married Mariucche in 1836, but the happiness was short-lived – four months after the wedding, the painter died.