Ivan Nikitich Nikitin

Background

Ivan Nikitin was born in 1690 in Moscow, Russian Federation to a family of an Orthodox priest. He had 2 brothers, Roman and Rodion Nikitin.

Education

Ivan Nikitin received his first artistic lessons from a Dutch artist Schwonbek at the engraving shop of the Kremlin Armoury.

Career

Ivan Nikitin was moved to Saint Petersburg in 1711. In 1716-1720 he and his brother Roman Nikitin were sent to Italy by Peter the Great.

After returning to Russia, Ivan Nikitin was the favorite court painter of Peter the Great. He worked in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

The early portraits by Nikitin had a strong influence of the traditional 17th century parsuna style, the later portraits are typical Baroque paintings. Besides portraits, Ivan Nikitin also painted the Battle of Poltava and Battle of Kulikovo.

After Peter's death in 1725 Nikitin continued to work at the court until 1732, when he and his brothers Roman and Rodion were arrested for the distribution of pamphlets against vice-Procurator of Synod Feofan Prokopovich. Ivan was tortured, for five years imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, then whipped and exiled to Tobolsk.

In 1740 Empress of Russia Anna Ioannovna signed an amnesty for the brothers. The amnesty came into force in 1741. By request of the new Empress Elizabeth of Russia, Nikitin travelled back from Tobolsk to Saint Petersburg and died somewhere on the road either in late 1741 or in early 1742.

Achievements

• Nikitin was the favorite court painter of Peter the Great.
  
  His best known portraits are"Chancellor G. I. Golovkin" and "A Malorossian Hetman". Besides portraits, Ivan Nikitin is also considered to be the first notable Russian battle painter due to his paintings of the Battle of Poltava and Battle of Kulikovo.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Portrait of Peter the Great

  • Tzarina Natalia Alekseevna

  • Crown princess Elizabeth, the future empress

  • Catherine I of Russia

  • Tzarina Praskovia Ioanovna

  • A Malorossian Hetman (Probably Pavlo Polubotok)

  • Portrait of Baron S. G. Stroganoff

  • Peter I

  • Peter I on his deathbed

  • Portrait of Elizaveta Petrovna as a child

  • Tsarina Praskovia Fedorovna Saltikova, widow of Ivan V

  • Boris Sheremetev

  • Chancelor G. I. Golovkin

  • Anna Petrovna

  • Portrait of young man in a green coat

  • Peter I on his deathbed

  • Portrait of Andrei Nartov

  • Tzarina Natalia Alekseevna

  • Peter I

Connections

Brother:

Roman Nikitin

Brother:

Rodion Nikitin

Rodion Nikitin was the dean of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow Kremlin.