Akimov Ivan Akimovich
(1754-1814)

The whole life of Ivan Akimovich Akimov (1754-1814) was associated with the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts: a childhood of her pupil, then a foreign retiree, academician, professor, and finally rector - he went through all possible steps academic careers. In nine years, having lost his father, a typesetter typography Senate, the boy himself has filed a petition to take it to the academic training at public expense, and he wrote about the need, how to love painting, and attached some pictures. So in 1764, Ivan Ivan hit the newly formed "the most illustrious Academy of Arts" - an all-powerful institution designed to regulate the entire artistic life of the state.

It was then the president of the I.I.Betskoy, Reader Empress. An old man, not having any previous relationship to art, he became head of the Academy of Fine Arts. However, not only the Academy - he obeyed, and the Office of the buildings, the Cadet Corps. Educational setting for Noble Maidens, the Moscow Foundling Hospital, Commercial College and Widow's house. And everywhere he intended to faithfully carry out a complete reform in the education of the "new breed of people," based on the principles of hard and sometimes cruel, and completely ignoring the natural inclinations and abilities of their wards. Under this system all contributed to the formation of the creative person. At the same age Akimov, who as children came to the Academy, particularly pinned high hopes - they should have to reveal the fruits of the new method. But unconditional preference of obedience and notes - "virtues" - talent and talent generation made sufficiently colorless.

The system itself has been teaching impersonal - professor had his students in the classroom and on duty at a time. The dominant place was given to the picture, was of great importance and composition, "composition". Akimov studied successfully - for the years spent at the Academy, he received a small and a large silver medal for drawing, 2nd gold medal for the program "The Grand Duke Izjaslav Mstislavovich almost nicked soldiers did not recognize him in battle, is revealed to them" (1772). The following year, at the time of release, he was honored for his film "The Great Prince Svyatoslav, kissing his mother and his children on his return from the Danube River in Kiev" gold medal, which gave the right to travel abroad to Italy.

Nineteen year old artist went by sea to Calais and Paris to Marseille via got to Bologna, having spent four months this way. It turned out, however, that in those days in Bologna was full-scale classes and Akimov had to settle for copying paintings in the City Gallery. Not receiving a response from St. Petersburg to his numerous requests for permission to move to Rome, a young artist in the end decided to do it illegally. But in Rome awaiting his first disappointment - Capitol Academy was then rather a society of artists who had private students than the institution with classes and programs. Thanks to the recommendation of the famous philanthropist Igor Shuvalov, who traveled to Italy, Akimov managed to get into the studio of the famous painter Pompeo button. Most likely, following the advice of the button, and his Russian student made a trip to Venice and to overcome the weakness of color, there began to copy the work of Venetian masters (whose "hot caramel" captured shortly before the teacher Akimov - Losenko).

In Rome, the historical theme of the mythological changed: they were written "Narcissus, admiring his reflection in the water," "Dido and Aeneas, having fled to the cave from the storm", "Fawn, having a little fun with the kid" and "Prometheus, making a statue of Minerva, according to the commandment" ( 1775) - for the latest work Akimov was elected the "designated" in the academy.