Pavel Osipovich Kovalevsky (1843-1903)

War correspondents have appeared, probably, the first periodical printed matter. Only instead of "Leica" photojournalists, such as the Great Patriotic War, the photographers of the second half of the XIX century, seconded to the army, had to carry notebooks, pencils and other art supplies that allowed them to capture the moment sketched battle or event associated with the war.

Who had a penchant for painting the son of a professor of the Kazan University Pavel Osipovich Kovalevsky chose battle class, when in 1863 he entered the Academy of Fine Arts. By that time, the Academy has developed certain traditions training battle painting, a powerful impetus to the development of which has given the Patriotic War of 1812. After graduating under the direction of BP Villevalde Academy, an artist in his pensioner's trip to Italy for his film "The excavations in the vicinity of Rome" (1867) was awarded the title of Academician. After returning to Russia travels through the Caucasus - a place, a special attraction for any painter of battle-pieces. Artwork created by the Caucasian sketches were stage of preparation for work during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. PO Kovalevsky, seconded to the army as an artist, wrote "The headquarters of the 12th Corps in Bulgaria (Turkish prisoners)" (1878), "October 12, 1877 (dressing station)" (1878).

 In 1880, the Balkan campaign sketches were used PO Kovalevsky when writing paintings for the Gallery of the Winter Palace: "The Battle of the River Lomé on 12 October 1877", "Cavalry dealing with Trestenika and Mechka 14 November 1877", "Fight Night under the elm January 4, 1878."

 Although the artist has written and genre scenes (eg "Detour diocese," 1885), his attachment was defined as a child. That is why Professor (1881), the Academy of Arts, PO Kovalevsky, leading to the 1897 battle workshop of the Academy of Fine Arts, directed it and future battle painter until his last days.