Alexey Vasiliev (1811-1879)

A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts Alexey Vasiliev was not too bright star among Russian portraitists middle of the XIX century. Although the starry firmament of Russian art of the time was visible to the naked eye, because, in 1833, received the title of a free (neklassnogo) of the artist, in 1839 he approved the "designated" in academics, and in 1845 gets rid of polulestnogo definition to the title, becoming a full-fledged academician with all supplied to the rank of privileges. Council awarded the title of academician of the Academy and its president or for a specific picture, performed by officially given academic program, or for a number of works of high artistic level.

AA Vasiliev was awarded the title of academician for "Portrait of Professor AE Egorov" - a famous painter and teacher of the Academy. The most famous portraits of the artist were created by him after receiving an honorary title that is quite natural. Among them - "Self-Portrait" (1848), portraits Vaselitskogo, Anikeeva, Brutus, "Self-portrait with palette and brushes" (1850, 1870). Made in the traditional academic manner portraits AA Vasilyeva written with undoubted skill, though inferior to the penetration depth of the images portrayed in the psychological portraits of the best Russian artists of the second half of the XIX century.

Like many painters, AA Vasiliev paid much attention to teaching. His experience and knowledge he from 1852 until his death passed on to young talents at the Drawing School of the Society for Encouragement of Arts.