The genre of merchant portrait was formed under the influence of the tastes and requirements of customers. They commissioned artists to create such paintings with a specific purpose — to preserve the memory of themselves for posterity.
The portrait depicts a merchant of the 2nd guild Nikolay Agapitov, who owned a distillery in Kargopol in the mid-19th century. He belonged to the highest range of the merchant class. It is important that many people from this environment came out of peasants or burghers and, knowing the worth of daily work, largely adhered to the traditional way of life.
The artist depicted a merchant with a Russian hairstyle and a small broad and thick beard. This rich man is dressed quite simply — in a white shirt with a buttoned-up collar and black long clothes, their style resembling that of a frock coat. The very appearance of the merchant radiates severity and restraint. It is known that Nikolay Agapitov used to be a peasant: he was born in the village of Nikulinskaya, Lekshmoretskaya volost, Kargopol Uyezd.
The entrepreneur reestablished distilling in Kargopol, having built a steam distillery in 1863. It was located in a three-story wooden building on Kamenka Street on the banks of the Onega River. Distilling is the production of alcohol and vodka from bread grains. At the Agapitov factory, rye flour and dry malt were mainly used for distillation, as well as a little oatmeal and barley flour.
According to the surviving documents, it is known that the factory had a distiller, a coppersmith, a cellarman and seven workers. On its territory, the merchant organized a stone wholesale warehouse, which has survived to this day. Near the production base, he built a two-story wooden house. In addition, Agapitov became the owner of several manor houses in the town. The residents appreciated his practicality and thoroughness and elected him to the post of director of the newly opened Kargopol Public Bank.
The artist Pyotr Kipriyanov was the brother of the merchant’s wife Yevdokia Kirillovna. Apart from the portrait of Agatipov, the artist painted her portrait as well. According to information from the relatives, Kipriyanov received his education at the Imperial Academy of Arts.
The portrait depicts a merchant of the 2nd guild Nikolay Agapitov, who owned a distillery in Kargopol in the mid-19th century. He belonged to the highest range of the merchant class. It is important that many people from this environment came out of peasants or burghers and, knowing the worth of daily work, largely adhered to the traditional way of life.
The artist depicted a merchant with a Russian hairstyle and a small broad and thick beard. This rich man is dressed quite simply — in a white shirt with a buttoned-up collar and black long clothes, their style resembling that of a frock coat. The very appearance of the merchant radiates severity and restraint. It is known that Nikolay Agapitov used to be a peasant: he was born in the village of Nikulinskaya, Lekshmoretskaya volost, Kargopol Uyezd.
The entrepreneur reestablished distilling in Kargopol, having built a steam distillery in 1863. It was located in a three-story wooden building on Kamenka Street on the banks of the Onega River. Distilling is the production of alcohol and vodka from bread grains. At the Agapitov factory, rye flour and dry malt were mainly used for distillation, as well as a little oatmeal and barley flour.
According to the surviving documents, it is known that the factory had a distiller, a coppersmith, a cellarman and seven workers. On its territory, the merchant organized a stone wholesale warehouse, which has survived to this day. Near the production base, he built a two-story wooden house. In addition, Agapitov became the owner of several manor houses in the town. The residents appreciated his practicality and thoroughness and elected him to the post of director of the newly opened Kargopol Public Bank.
The artist Pyotr Kipriyanov was the brother of the merchant’s wife Yevdokia Kirillovna. Apart from the portrait of Agatipov, the artist painted her portrait as well. According to information from the relatives, Kipriyanov received his education at the Imperial Academy of Arts.
