Pyotr Mikhailovich Shamshin (Russian: Пётр Михайлович Шамшин; (10 January 1811,
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
– 6 February 1895, Saint Petersburg)Biographical notes @ Art Catalog.ru. was a Russian painter of historical and religious scenes in the
Academic
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
style.
Biography
His father, , was a painter who taught at the
Imperial Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was an art academy in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name ''Academy of the Thre ...
.Life and appreciation @ LiveInternet. At the age of ten, he entered the primary school at the Academy and studied with
Pyotr Basin
Pyotr Vasilievich Basin (Russian: Пётр Васильевич Басин; 1793, Saint Petersburg – 1877, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian religious, history and portrait painter. He also served as a Professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts.
B ...
. In 1836, he was awarded a large gold medal for his depiction of the massacre of
Niobe
In Greek mythology, Niobe (; grc-gre, Νιόβη ) was a daughter of Tantalus and of either Dione, the most frequently cited, or of Eurythemista or Euryanassa, the wife of Amphion and the sister of Pelops and Broteas.
Her father was the ru ...
's children by
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
..
He graduated in 1838 with the title of "Artist" and a small gold medal for a scene from the ''
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...
''. His title included a stipend to study abroad, so he went to Italy and remained there for seven years. After returning, he became a teacher at the Academy. He was named an "Academician" in 1844 for his paintings of
Hagar
Hagar, of uncertain origin; ar, هَاجَر, Hājar; grc, Ἁγάρ, Hagár; la, Agar is a biblical woman. According to the Book of Genesis, she was an Egyptian slave, a handmaiden of Sarah (then known as ''Sarai''), whom Sarah gave to he ...
in the desert and
Peter the Great
Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...
rescuing drowning soldiers near his estate in Lakhta; an act that probably hastened Peter's death.
He was awarded the title of Professor in 1853 for his version of the
Resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
. Six years later, due to changes in the Academy's charter, he was redesignated as an "Associate Professor". In 1863, he became a "Professor, First Degree". After holding that position for twenty years, he was named the Rector for painting and sculpture. Among his best-known students were
Isaak Asknaziy
Isaak L'vovich Asknaziy (russian: Исаак Львович Аскназий; 16 January 1856, in Drissa – 1902, in Moscow) was a Jewish Russian painter in the Academic style, known primarily for his historical and Biblical scenes.
Biography ...
, , Viktor Bobrov and Vasily Smirnov. Shortly before his death, due to a new statute for the Academy, he was dismissed because of age. He was interred at
Smolensky Cemetery
Smolensky Cemetery () is the oldest continuously operating cemetery in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Most of his works were religious in nature and may be seen at
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
Saint Isaac's Cathedral or Isaakievskiy Sobor (russian: Исаа́киевский Собо́р) is a large architectural landmark cathedral that currently functions as a museum with occasional church services in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is ...
and the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ( rus, Храм Христа́ Спаси́теля, r=Khram Khristá Spasítelya, p=xram xrʲɪˈsta spɐˈsʲitʲɪlʲə) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskv ...
. He also painted for smaller churches throughout Russia, but some of those works were lost or destroyed during the early Soviet period.
Selected paintings
File:Shamshin-Rescue.jpg,
Peter the Great
Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...
rescues the Drowning at Lakhta
File:Female dancer from Trastevere by P.Shamshin (GTG, 1840).jpg, Female Dancer from
Trastavere
Trastevere () is the 13th ''rione'' of Rome: it is identified by the initials R. XIII and it is located within Municipio I. Its name comes from Latin ''trans Tiberim'', literally 'beyond the Tiber'.
Its coat of arms depicts a golden head of a li ...
File:Capture of Kazan (Shamshin, 1894).jpeg, The entry of
Ivan IV
Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584.
Ivan ...