Prince Grigory Gagarin

Painter, draughtsman, architect, illustrator, writer. Son of the Russian diplomat Prince Grigory Gagarin (1782–1837) and Ekaterina Soimonova (1790–1873). Born in St Petersburg (1810). Lived in Italy and France (1816–32). Took painting lessons from Karl Brullov in Rome (1820s). Illustrated the works of Alexander Pushkin at the personal request of the poet, including Ruslan and Lyudmila and The Tale of Tsar Saltan (early 1830s). Served in the Russian diplomatic corps in Paris, Rome, Constantinople and Munich (1832–39). Travelled with Vladimir Sollogub from St Petersburg to Kazan and illustrated his story The Tarantass (1839). Followed Mikhail Lermontov into exile to the Caucasus (1840), where he travelled widely (1840–42) and served in the Russian army in the Caucasian War (1841–64). Lived in Tiflis (1848–54), where he designed frescoes and the project for the reconstruction of the Zion Cathedral. Vice-president (1859–72) and honorary member (1862) of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Member of the Russian Archaeological Society. Published books on the history of architecture and ornamentation (late 19th century). Died in Châtellerault in France and buried at his estate of Karacharovo on the River Volga in Tver Province (1893).