Semyon Zakharov (1821–1847) came from the burgher class of the Pskov Governorate. Having learned to draw on his own, in 1837 he entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he studied engraving under Nikolai Utkin.
His “copies of prints in engraving” were awarded the silver medal of the 1st class in 1838, and his copy of “The Temptation of the Savior” by Ivan Arkhipovich Bersenev in 1839 — with a silver medal of the 1st degree. A year later, Zakharov earned praise and permission to engrave for a higher award. Two years later, his engraving of Guido Reni’s painting “The Rape of Europa” was awarded a gold medal of the 2nd degree. Next, the master was supposed to work on Fyodor Antonovich Moller’s painting “Kiss” which was popular at that time. The authorities of the Academy approved of Zakharov’s choice, however, things weren’t that simple, as the Minister of the Court stated that it was “impossible to provide the picture for this purpose” since it was located in the imperial chambers.
Semyon Zakharov was faced with a choice to either change the subject or to make an engraving of Moller’s work from a lithographic copy. Having chosen the first option, he set to work on the “Prayer for the Cup” by Fyodor Antonovich Bruni. Unfortunately, the engraver died of tuberculosis in 1847, unable to complete this work. Nikolai Utkin finished the engraving.
Two medallions with portraits of Peter I are among Zakharov’s well-known works. One of them was created for Ivan Betsky’s almanac “Molodik” (1843). The original for the engraving was an award medallion given to Timofey Nadarzhinsky, the confessor of Peter I and his wife Catherine I.
In 1703, Nadarzhinsky took the place of the deceased royal confessor, Ivan Poborsky. It is known that he was born in the 1660s–1670s and served as a priest, later becoming an archpriest in the village of Trostyanets in the Akhtyrsky Uyezd. The confessor accompanied Peter on most of his trips, including those to Europe. He was the only one, apart from the doctor, who was allowed to see the sovereign in moments of malaise and gloomy moods. In 1725, he accepted the emperor’s last confession.
Duke Richelieu, who knew Nadarzhinsky, wrote that he was a man of “a strong build and a fondness for strong drinks”, who enjoyed great favor and respect for the sovereign. In 1711, he granted the confessor a manor in Moscow near the Kamenny (Stone) Bridge; on March 1, 1712 — the emperor’s portrait to be worn on the chest; at various times — up to 4,000 serfs in Slobozhanshchyna. Timofey Nadarzhinsky donated large sums to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Akhtyrsk. In 1728, he retired to this monastery where he was tonsured under the name of Father Tobias and later buried around 1730.
