Kronstadt Roadstead

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (Gaivazovsky) was a painter, educator, and one of the founders of the Russian school of marine painting, known for his seascapes, coastal city views, and works depicting the history of the Russian Navy. He studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1833 to 1839 under M. N. Vorobiev and F. Tanner. In 1837, he received a large gold medal for his paintings 'Calm in the Gulf of Finland' and 'Great Raid in Kronstadt.' From 1840 to 1844, he was an Academy pensioner in Italy. In 1843, he was awarded a gold medal at a Paris exhibition. He became an Academician and painter to the Main Naval Staff in 1844, and a professor in 1847. From 1846, he lived and taught in Feodosia, where he established an art studio and founded an art gallery. He was a member of the Roman, Florentine, Stuttgart, and Amsterdam Academies. His self-portrait is held in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.