Orlovsky, Aleksandr Osipovich (1777-1832)

Alexander Orlovsky was born in a wealthy Polish family. His father kept an inn in the provincial town of Siedlce, where the boy and his talented first saw pictures Princess Isabella Chartorizhskaya. His exceptional talent patronizing, she sent Orlovsky (circa 1793) to study the artist's studio in Warsaw J.-P. Norblin, who was the court painter of princes Chartorizhskih.

Early, Warsaw marked the period of the artist's interest in the war of liberation of the Polish people, moving then to the uprising led by T. Kosciuszko.

There are sketches of Orel, depicting the scenes of the event ("At the bivouac", "Kosciuszko group of soldiers in the camp," "The Battle of Raclawice," all in 1798, and others).

In 1802, the artist came to St. Petersburg, where he lived until his death. Initially fate was favorable to him. Nourish A. Chartorizhskogo close to Emperor Alexander I, contributed to the fact that Orlovsky was in the service of the Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich.

Already in 1803 he was listed in the "salaried, portions and other content on a particular commandment of His Imperial Majesty." In the Marble Palace, which belonged to the Grand Duke, he had the apartment of three rooms with views of the River Neva.

A talented draftsman, Orlovsky has created numerous pencil, watercolor and pastel works of a romantic nature. No wonder Pushkin dedicated a line of his famous poem: Take a quick pencil, Draw, Orel, a night and shochu! Riders on rearing horses, shipwrecks and storms at sea - these are the subjects of his songs at the time.

After the creation of the painting "Bivouac of the Cossacks" (1809) awarded him the title of academician "as the famous artist, whose works have long been known to the Academy." A great place in the artist's portrait occupied. Bright individuality and expressiveness inherent "self-portrait in a red cloak" (1809) and "Self-Portrait in a Circassian" (c. 1820). Strong character and romantic spirit brought him to the generation of Russian people during the Napoleonic Wars.

Temperamental style of drawing, the original color scheme made ​​by the United Italian black pencil with a reddish-ocher sanguine, marked by portraits of the architect Charles Cameron (1809), the composer M. Clementi (1810), A. Lansky (1816). Genre watercolor sketches depicting the types of working people of St. Petersburg - hawkers, masons, glaziers, made ​​a series, which anticipated the later works of I. Shchedrovsky S. and A. Venetsianov .

In the drawings and lithographs of the 1810s. was reflected spectacular side of the capital, "Runs on the Neva River," "Hot Rod" and others sympathized with the fate of disadvantaged people imbued with images "Halt of prisoners," "The poor peasants in the carriage" (both 1815), etc. Since 1816, one artist of the first in Russia appealed to the technique of lithography and performed a number of separate sheets and albums-series, received wide recognition among his contemporaries ("Exercise books on Russian folk life", 1825-26, etc.). A man of broad vision, progressive-minded, the artist was a member of the Masonic Lodge "United Friends," as well as the box of "Palestine", banned by Alexander I, and therefore strictly conspiratorial.

Familiar with the theatrical and literary circles of St. Petersburg, he spoke with IA Krylov, Alexander Pushkin, PA Viazemsky, DV Davydov, who loved and appreciated him. Ivan Krylov ordered artist illustrations for editions of his fables. In addition, Orlovsky played a portrait of the famous fabulist (1812). However, after the death of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich Orlovsky lost service apartments and livelihoods. Some time was under military Topographical Depot, but not for long. Poor health, lack of support led to the death of the artist.