Mikes Apollonovich Nicholas (1794-1873)

In the noble families of Russia (especially the well-born) is not too welcomed by the professional classes in painting children. Therefore, when a young officer, son of the famous nobleman, Nicholas Apollonovich Mikes, wounded in the battle of Borodino and come down with the Russian army to Paris, became interested in art, father strongly opposed the withdrawal of the army and a trip to Italy for art education.

 However, the thrust of Nicholas Maikova to the visual arts is not weakened. He is engaged in painting yourself by copying the masters in museums and a lot of working on location.

The success of a persistent son of a nobleman comes soon enough. It is particularly NA Mikes excelled in the paintings of churches and temples, participated in the writing of images to St. Isaac's Cathedral. For the same part in the decoration of the Holy Trinity Church of the Life-Guards Izmailovo Regiment N. Mike on the personal orders of Emperor Nicholas I received the title of Academician. Contemporaries noted attractive, powerful flavor of his paintings.

Interestingly, the four sons of the painter became famous people in the arts and cultural life of Russia XIX century: the Apollo - the well-known poet, Valerian - journalist and literary critic Vladimir - a writer, Leonid - historian of Russian literature. This is understandable, because the children grew up in a very creative, artistic environment. Small bar - from infancy they prepared a variety of handwritten journals that illustrated the father.