Pyotr Tutukin

Painter, draughtsman, teacher. Born in St Petersburg in the family of a palace official called Vasily Tutukin (1819). Worked at the Winter Palace (from 1834), rising to the rank of court fire-stoker (1840) and assistant coffee-pourer (1847). Attended classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1844–51). Awarded a minor silver medal (1847) and the title of non-class artist (1851). Resigned from the Palace Department to work as an independent artist and a teacher of drawing (1851). Academician (1857). Employed as a painting evaluation expert for court and police institutions (1857–79) and curator of the Imperial Hermitage Picture Gallery (1879–1900).