Johann Leberecht Eggink

Painter, draughtsman, teacher. Illegitimate son of Baltic German nobleman Friedrich Dietrich von Knigge and Latvian peasant woman Lavize Brivina. Adopted his father’s surname spelt backwards. Born on the estate of Gut Pewicken in Courland (1787). Studied at Dorpat University (1811–12) and attended drawing classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1813–14). Moved abroad to continue his education. Studied at the Königlich Akademie der Künste in Berlin and Dresden, visited Bonn, Munich, Prague, Vienna and Italy (1814–22). Caught the attention of Tsar Alexander I at an exhibition in Verona (1822) and awarded an imperial pension to study in Rome (1822–27). Returned to St Petersburg (1828), where he was elected a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1834). Moved to Mitawa in Courland (1837), where he taught drawing at a local grammar school (1837–58).