Aleksander Orlowski

Polish draughtsman, lithographer, painter, illustrator. Born to the family of an inn-keeper in Warsaw (1777). Studied under Jean-Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine, Marcello Bacciarelli, Bartolomeo Follin and Wincenty de Lesseur in Warsaw (1793–98). Joined the rebel army led by Tadeusz Ko?ciuszko during the Polish uprising (1794). Worked as a caricaturist for Prince Józef Poniatowski (1799) and travelled through Lithuania (1801). Moved to St Petersburg (1802), where he was appointed court artist to Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. Pioneered the political caricature in Russian art (1806) and created the first dated lithograph (1816). Academician of battle painting (1809). Painted images of the heroes of the Napoleonic Wars (1812–13) and designed Russian military uniforms (from 1819). Illustrated Gaspar Drouville’s Journey to Persia in 1812 and 1813 (1819) and the fables of Ivan Krylov (1824).