Boris Orlovsky

Sculptor, teacher. Born in the family of a serf called Ivan Smirnov in the village of Bolshoe Stolobetskoe in Oryol Province (1793). Became known as “Orlovsky” after the family moved from Oryol Province to the village of Mokhovoe in Tula Province (1801). Trained under Santino Campioni in Moscow (1810–17) and Agostino Triscornia in St Petersburg (1817–22). Freed from serfdom after sculpting a bust of Tsar Alexander I (1822). Studied under Ivan Martos at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1822–23) and under Bertel Thorvaldsen in Rome (1823–29). Returned to St Petersburg (1829), where he designed the statues of Prince Mikhail Kutuzov and Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly in front of the Kazan Cathedral (1829–36), sculpted the angel on top of the Alexander Column on Palace Square (1832–34) and decorated the Moscow Triumphal Gates (1836–37). Academician (1831), second-class professor (1836). Taught sculpture at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1831–37). Died in St Petersburg (1837), buried at the Smolensk Cemetery (1837) and reburied at the St Alexander Nevsky Monastery (1936).