Tropinin Vasily Andreevich

Vasily Andreyevich Tropinin was a prominent Russian portraitist and master of the genre style (The Lace Maker, The Guitarist, The Spinner). As a serf of Count I. I. Morkov, he studied at the Academy of Arts under S. S. Shchukin from 1798 to 1804. In 1804, he was awarded a small gold medal for his painting Boy Mourning His Dead Bird, but was soon recalled from the Academy by his owner. He received his freedom and the title of "designated" academician in 1823. From 1824, he held the title of Academician for his portrait of the medalist K. A. Leberecht.