Background
Johann Friedrich Anthing was born on 26 May 1753 in Gotha (then in the Saxe-Coburg Duchy, now in Thuringia).
Johann Friedrich Anthing was born on 26 May 1753 in Gotha (then in the Saxe-Coburg Duchy, now in Thuringia).
After his theological studies in Iena, Anthing travelled across Europe, going from one royal court to the next, as a silhouette artist. He drew portraits of princes, courtiers and famous personalities such as Goethe during his stay at the Weimar court (1789). Anthing travelled to Frankfurt in 1790 to attend the crowning of Leopold II, and he published a description of the ceremony.
In 1793, Anthing returned to Russia and became Marshal Alexander Suvorov"s Aide-de-camp.
He would later write a three volume biography of Suvorov (History of the Campaigns of Marshal Suvorov). After the crowning of Paul I and Suvorov"s subsequent disgrace in 1797, Anthing resigned.
He spent the last years of his life in Saint-St. Petersburg and died on 12 August 1805.