Michele Scotti

Painter, draughtsman, teacher. Son of Giovanni Battista Scotti, an Italian decorative artist invited to Russia by Giacomo Quarenghi (1780s). Born in St Petersburg and christened at the Roman Catholic church of St Catherine on Nevsky Prospekt (1814). Adopted by Alexei Yegorov after his father’s death (1831). Studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1831–35), graduating with a minor gold medal and the title of fourteenth-class artist (1835). Drew portraits of fellow students and gave drawing lessons to members of the Russian nobility (1835–37). Worked at the estate of Ivan Shepelev near Ardatov in Nizhny Novgorod Province, painting pictures, icons and sets for his serf theatre (1838). Travelled to Rome with the family of Count Ivan Kutaisov, stopping in Lübeck, Hamburg, Nuremberg and Munich (1838) and Venice and Florence (1839). Painted views, genre scenes and local types in Italy (1839–44). Returned to St Petersburg with Pavel Krivtsov, secretary of the Russian Embassy (1844). Visited Constantinople, where he painted genre scenes, interiors, local types and icons for the Russian Embassy (1844–45). Academician of history painting (1845), professor (1855). Taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1849–56). Painted portraits of artists and architects and icons and frescoes for churches and regimental chapels in St Petersburg (1847–55). Returned to Italy (1856), visited Spain and died in Paris (1861).