The portrait of Alexander Timofeyev from the collection of the Earls of Vorontsovs was painted by Alexander Molinari, an Italian artist of German descent. He worked in Russia for about 10 years, where he created portraits of outstanding personalities of the era.
Portrait of A.U. Timofeyev
Creation period
1813 (?)
Dimensions
69,5x57,5 cm
Technique
canvas, oil
Collection
Exhibition
3
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#7
Alexander Molinari was born in Berlin. After graduating from the Berlin Academy of Arts in 1787, he first worked in Rome and later continued in other European cities: Vienna, Glogau and Weimar. In 1806, Molinari embarked on his painting career in Russia. He was a resident tutor of drawing in the family of Privy Councillor Count Dmitry Buturlin. He lived in the Count’s estate in Belkino, the Kaluga region, where he taught the Count’s wife Anna Vorontsova miniature painting on ivory.
Alexander Molinari moved to St. Petersburg In 1812, where he opened a pastry shop on Nevsky Prospect. In his spare time, he painted portraits, which were commissioned by many patrons from among St. Petersburg nobility: Count Valerian Zubov, Prince Mikhail Vorontsov and even the Emperor Alexander I. Molinari always sought to convey the image of the era in the portraits of his characters with his paintings easily recognizable by his signature style techniques.
#3
In 1813, the artist painted a portrait of Tambov landowner Alexander Timofeyev who came from the nobility. Timofeyev served in the Tambov garrison battalion in the rank of non-commissioned officer, he later became captain in the Vologda Musketeer Regiment resigning from military service in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was engaged in commerce from 1816, starting as director of the Moscow branch of the State Bank of Issue, later to become a collegiate councillor for various assignments for the Ministry of Finance.
#6
Molinari used watercolors and whitewash in the portrait of Timofeyev, to create a ‘backlight’ coming from the inside of the painting — it was a favorite technique of the master. The whitewash enhanced the optical effect making the features of the character’s face look more sclupturesque.
#5
Alexander Timofeyev is about 30 years old in the portrait. That was exactly the age when he married Countess Praskovya Vorontsova. On the lapel of his tail coat, one can see a sign of distinction — the Order of St. Anna, the IVth degree on a ribbon, which he was awarded for his courage in the battles of 3 February 1808. Molinari’s work is a part of the paired portrait with Timofeyev’s wife Praskovia.
#8
Here is what the art historian, Baron Nikolai Wrangle wrote about Molinari’s ‘Portrait of Alexander Timofeyev’ in his 1912 book ‘Foreigners of the XIX century in Russia / / The Old Years’:
‘The worst portrait painters have always been the best ones to capture daily routine, the mundanity, because they did not care much about the pictorial tasks, reflecting, naively and instinctively, the spirit of life around them’.
#9
The art historian, earlier, reproached the artist for banality, but he noted — referring to the portraits of the Timofeyevs — his technical skill and merits as a painter of a whole period of the Russian history.
#10
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
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Portrait of A.U. Timofeyev
Creation period
1813 (?)
Dimensions
69,5x57,5 cm
Technique
canvas, oil
Collection
Exhibition
3
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