Alexei Antropov

Painter, teacher. Born in St Petersburg (1716) to Pyotr Antropov, who worked for the Chancellery of Construction. Studied under Louis Caravaque, Andrei Matveyev and Mikhail Zakharov (from 1732). Worked for the painting department of Ivan Vishnyakov at the Chancellery of Construction (from 1739), where he was awarded the rank of apprentice (1749) and master painter (late 1750s). Worked under Giuseppe Valeriani at the Winter Palace (1744–45), Summer Palace (1748) and Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo (1749) and helped Giuseppe Valeriani and Antonio Giambattista Peresinotti to paint stage sets at the St Petersburg Opera House (1750). Painted frescoes for the Golovkin Palace in Moscow (1755–57) and St Andrew’s Church in Kiev (1752–55). Returned to St Petersburg (1758), where he trained under Pietro Antonio de Rotari (1758–60) and was employed by the Holy Synod to paint icons and portraits (1761). Appointed court painter of Peter III (1762), but lost favour after his overthrow by Catherine the Great (1762). Worked in Moscow (1762–63), where he painted miniature portraits and decorated triumphal arches celebrating the coronation of Catherine the Great (1762). Painted portraits and icons (1760s–80s) and opened a private school in a wing of his house in St Petersburg (1789). Died of fever in St Petersburg and buried at the St Alexander Nevsky Monastery (1795).