Career
He was part of the "Belsky Dynasty" of painters of the Eighteenth Century and a teacher at the Imperial Academy of Arts. He specialized in landscapes, allegories and historical subjects. He painted murals, fresco panels and theatrical scenery for several Imperial Palaces, as well as icons for Street Andrew"s Church, Kiev.
In 1762, together with Ivan, he provided some paintings for the "Triumphal Architecture", celebrating the coronation of Catherine the Great.
In 1764, he was elected to the Academy. In 1771, a series of didactic murals he executed for the Smolny Institute (one of the Institutes for Noble Maidens) resulted in an award of what was then the immense sum of 70 Rubles.
In 1773, he was presented with a charter of liberty from the Academy, granting him and his progeny freedom from the poll-tax, conscription, enserfment and other possible obligations.