Pavel Rizzoni

Painter, draughtsman, caricaturist, teacher. Son of a cobbler from Bologna called Antonio Rizzoni, who served in the French army during the Patriotic War (1812) and settled in Riga, where he married a Baltic German woman. Elder brother of the artists Eduard Rizzoni (1833–1903) and Alexander Rizzoni (1836–1902). Studied history painting under Alexei Markov and battle painting under Alexander Gottlob Sauerweid at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1839–47). Awarded minor silver medals (1842, 1843), a major silver medal (1844), a minor gold medal (1845) and a major gold medal (1847). Fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts in Germany, Holland and Belgium (1848–50). Returned to St Petersburg and continued his fellowship at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1850–53). Travelled across Bessarabia, Ukraine and the Crimea with Yegor Meyer (1849). Academician (1853). Taught drawing at the Mariinsky, Voznesensky and Alexandrovsky Grammar Schools (1861–66). Contributed to the exhibitions of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1849–77).