Leo Lagorio

Born: 1826, Theodosia
Died: 1905, St Petersburg

Painter, draughtsman, teacher. Son of Felix Lagorio (1781–1857), vice-consul of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in Theodosia (1826). Studied under Hovhannes Aivazovsky in Theodosia (1839–40) and under Alexander Gottlob Sauerweid, Maxim Vorobyov and Bogdan Gottfried Willewalde at the Imperial Academy of Arts on funds supplied by Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg (1843–50). Awarded a minor silver medal (1847), major silver medal (1848), second gold medal (1849) and a first gold medal and the title of fourteenth-class artist (1850). Travelled across the Caucasus (1851–52) and adopted Russian citizenship (1852). Fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts in France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland (1853–60). Painted seascapes, battle scenes and coastal views. Married Elena Lubny-Gertsik. Professor of landscape painting (1860), honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1900). Paid annual visits to the Ukraine, Caucasus and Crimea (from 1861) and fought under Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich in the Caucasian War (1863–64). Visited Constantinople and painted a series of battle scenes of the Russo-Turkish War (1885). Founding member of the St Petersburg Society of Artists. Chairman of the Society of Exhibitions of Works of Art (1875–76), member of the Society of Russian Watercolourists (from 1880) and full member of the Mussar Mondays (1880s). Contributed to the exhibitions of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1849–99) and the Society of Russian Watercolourists (1880–1905).

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