06.05.1858 – 05.11.1923

Alexey Stepanovich Stepanov-Russian painter, graphic artist, academician of the Imperial Academy of arts, a member of the Association of traveling art exhibitions, one of the founders of the “Union of Russian artists”.

Alexey Stepanov was born in Simferopol in a family of hereditary nobleman, officer, participant of the Crimean war. The boy became an orphan at an early age and the guardian took him to Moscow and made a ward of the Institute of the chief officers of orphans, which was located in the former estate of count Razumovsky.

In 1880 Alexey Stepanovich entered the Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture as a volunteer, and 3 years later he was a student of the I. M. Pryanishnikov class and studied drawing with E. S. Sorokin.

For drawings and sketches in 1883, the artist was awarded a small silver medal of the School, and in 1884 was awarded a large silver medal with the title of class artist for the submitted final work “Father and son, or Military conversation.”

As a student of the Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture, Stepanov began cooperation with the magazine “Nature and hunting”, which continued for many years. From 1883 to 1895 about a hundred drawings by Stepanov were published in the journal.

In the late 1880s Stepanov together with Levitan, Pasternak and other artists and architects served as a teacher in the School of fine arts A. O. Gunsta, and since 1889 Stepanov taught animalistic painting in the Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture. Having received the title of Professor, headed the master class until 1918, where his disciples were: S. V. Gerasimov, V. A. Filippov, M. A. Dobrov, B. Johansson, P. D. Korin, A. P. Panfilov, L. V. Turzhansky, B. N. Yakovlev and many others.

In 1894 together with a family of the Moscow merchant and collector N. V. Medyntseva, Stepanov travels to Germany, Switzerland, France and Northern Italy. A trip to Europe, namely the paintings of French Impressionists, had a certain impact on the artist’s work. After the trip Stepanov wrote the painting “Laundresses in Vichy”.

In 1905 Stepanov for the painting ” Morning greetings “was awarded the title of academician of the Imperial Academy of arts, in 1901 the master joined the exhibition Association” 36 artists”, and in 1903 became one of the founders of the”Union of Russian artists”.

In 1920, Alexey Stepanovich Stepanov fell seriously ill, but continued to work. The artist died in 1923 and was buried at Vagankovsky cemetery.