Nikanor Chernetsov

Painter, draughtsman, lithographer. Son of the icon-painter Grigory Chernetsov, younger brother of Grigory Chernetsov, elder brother of Polycarp Chernetsov (1822–1842). Taught drawing by his elder brother Yevgraf Chernetsov and awarded a grant from the Society for the Encouragement of Artists (1824). Studied under Maxim Vorobyov at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1823–27). Awarded silver medals (1825) and a minor gold medal and the title of class artist (1827). Fellow of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists in Kostroma Province (1826) and Reval (1827). Awarded a major gold medal (1828). Lived in Tiflis, Odessa and the Crimea and travelled along the Black Sea coast with Count Pavel Kutaisov (1829–31). Worked as a draughtsman for Auguste de Montferrand on the construction of St Isaac’s Cathedral and the Alexander Column in St Petersburg (1831–32). Academician (1832). Worked in the Crimea for Prince Mikhail Vorontsov, governor general of New Russia (1833–36). Travelled down the River Volga with Grigory Chernetsov, Polycarp Chernetsov and Anton Ivanov-Goluboi (1838), sketching views of all the towns from Rybinsk to Astrakhan and later drawing a seven-part panorama (700 x 2½ metres) of both banks (1838–51). Visited Italy (1840–42) and Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Turkey and Greece with Grigory Chernetsov (1842–43). Returned to St Petersburg (1844) and published the album Palestine: Views Drawn from Life by the Academicians N. and G. Chernetsov in 1842–43 (1845). Visited Italy, Smyrna, Ephesus and Constantinople with Grigory Chernetsov and Anton Ivanov (1846–49). Returned to St Petersburg (1849), where he co-wrote Travel Notes on the East (1840s) and illustrated Notes on a Journey along the Volga (1838–62). Died in poverty in St Petersburg (1879).