08.02.1802 – 27.12.1874/75

Alexander Ivanovich Kljunder (Klinder) – Russian artist-watercolourist.

He was born in a tailor’s family. He studied at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Dorpat. Simultaneously, under the guidance of the artist-engraver KA. Zenff took lessons in the engraving technique on copper, he studied at the classes of the Petersburg Academy of Arts. In 1824 he was awarded the title of a free artist of portrait miniature watercolor painting. He worked in Tallinn as a miniature artist and a drawing teacher. In 1827, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the University of Dorpat, he produced a series of professorial portraits on six pages.

The artist wrote a series of portraits of officers of the Life Guards Regiment of the Hussar Regiment, commissioned by the hussars, who wished to present a memorable gift to their regimental commander, General MG. Khomutov, who at that time was transferring to a new service in Novocherkassk. All the people portrayed were about 60 people, among whom was M.Yu. Lermontov. The artist created three portraits of the poet in the period of 1838-1840, when Lermontov, returning from the first Caucasian exile, served in the Life Guards Guards Regiment, stationed in Tsarskoe Selo.

For each of the portrayed artists made several images, and, in addition, by order of the Life Guards AL. Potapova, V.A. Menshikov and V.D. Bakaev, he carried out several dozen portraits of their regimental comrades. Most of the collection of M.G. Khomutov is in the collections of the State Hermitage and the Pavlovsky Palace Museum, the collection of V.D. Bakaeva – in the Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature in St. Petersburg. A collection of the same portraits, formerly used by the Life Hussar V.А. Menshikov, unfortunately, did not survive.

A collection belonging to the regimental comrade Lermontov AL Potapov, right up until the October Revolution, was in his estate “Semidubravnoe” (now the village of Novaya Pokrovka). After the revolution, it was transported to the Voronezh Provincial Museum, and in 1933 was transferred to the Museum of Fine Arts (now the Kramskoye Military Academy), in whose collection it is kept to this day.

Subsequently, A. Klünder created drawings for the “Historical Description of Clothes and Arms of Russian Warriors”, painted portraits of Emperor Nicholas I, Count M.N. Musina-Pushkin, Prince M.B. Lobanov-Rostovsky, Prince D.P. Volkonsky and other representatives of the Moscow aristocracy.

In the 1840-1850-ies, the artist carried out orders for a series of portraits of officers of the Life Guards Cavalry and Cavalry Regiments. He was engaged in teaching painting lessons in St. Petersburg.

The artist died in 1874 in Reval.

Image: А.И. Klunders. Portrait of Alexei Arkadievich Stolypin (Mongo), cousin M.Yu. Lermontov. 1839. Meeting of VOKHM them. I.N. Kramskoy.