Dmitry Levitsky

Painter, teacher. Born in Kiev (1735) to Ukrainian priest and engraver Grigory Nos-Levitsky (1697–1769). Moved to St Petersburg (1758) and studied under Alexei Antropov (1758–64), whom he possibly helped to decorate St Andrew’s Church in Kiev (1752–55). Worked in Moscow (1760s), where he decorated triumphal arches celebrating the coronation of Catherine the Great (1762) and painted icons for three new churches (1766). Painted the series of Smolny Girls for Catherine the Great (1772–76) and portraits of Denis Diderot (1773), Catherine the Great (1783), members of the nobility (1780s) and many famous Russian writers, artists and architects (1770s–80s). Academician (1770), councillor (1776), board member (1780). Headed the portraiture class at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1771–87). Retired for unknown reasons (1787), becoming a recluse and dabbling in masonry (1790s). Returned to the Academy as a board member (1807) and continued working as a free painter until he began to lose his sight (1812). Died in poverty in St Petersburg and buried at the Smolensk Cemetery (1822).