Draughtsman, painter, writer, teacher. Born in the family of a palace stoker called Gavrila Chirikov in St Petersburg (1776). Studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1782–94). Worked as a naval draughtsman (1795–96), secretary of old ports (1796–1807) and secretary of the Medical-Philanthropic Committee (1808–11). Taught drawing at the Alexander Lyceum in Tsarskoe Selo (1811–41). Died in St Pete...