The “Portrait of Сornet N.M. Terenin” is a painting that required a whole investigation, and not all the answers have been received so far. The picture is believed to have entered the museum after the 1917 revolution from the private collection of Ekaterina Percy-French, a wealthy landowner in the Simbirsk province, a descendant of the Kindyakov noble family. The painting was titled “Portrait of Officer Kindyakov” — presumably, it featured Ekaterina’s grandfather, Colonel Alexander Lvovich Kindyakov. However, the signature on the stretcher bar read as follows: “Taken from the Terenins’ ap.” This led to the conclusion that the portrait depicted cornet Terenin, and not officer Kindyakov.
In addition, the young man’s uniform helped to identify the regiment in which he served. The Life Guards Horse Regiment was a cavalry military unit of the Imperial Guard of Russian Empire. The regiment was established by Peter I for the personal protection of the monarch, and was staffed exclusively by young men of noble birth. Unlike the Terenins, the Kindyakovs were not on those lists. This was how the man that was depicted in the portrait got his surname. The museum collection houses one more portrait of this man — this time already in the rank of lieutenant. The list of military awards contained his exact name — Nikolay Mikhailovich Terenin.
Nikolay Terenin was born in 1809 into a family of landowners who had land plots in the Simbirsk and Kazan governorates. In the portrait, he is depicted at the age of about 20 — after graduating from the School of Guards Ensigns and Cavalry Junkers. Nikolay Terenin participated in the Polish-Russian war, distinguished himself in battle, and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, and St. Anne, 3rd class. He was married and had three sons, one of whom became governor of the Simbirsk governorate.
The portraitist’s name is unknown. He was likely to belong to Mitoire’s artistic circle. The French painter Benoît-Charles Mitoire had lived in Saint Petersburg for 30 years. He became an academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts and painted dozens of portraits featuring high officials and Russian nobility. The “Portrait of Cornet N.M. Terenin” was painted in Mitoire’s style including its background, color palette, posture, and the facial expression. It depicts the young man’s dignity, confidence and courage on the verge of remarkable achievements.
In addition, the young man’s uniform helped to identify the regiment in which he served. The Life Guards Horse Regiment was a cavalry military unit of the Imperial Guard of Russian Empire. The regiment was established by Peter I for the personal protection of the monarch, and was staffed exclusively by young men of noble birth. Unlike the Terenins, the Kindyakovs were not on those lists. This was how the man that was depicted in the portrait got his surname. The museum collection houses one more portrait of this man — this time already in the rank of lieutenant. The list of military awards contained his exact name — Nikolay Mikhailovich Terenin.
Nikolay Terenin was born in 1809 into a family of landowners who had land plots in the Simbirsk and Kazan governorates. In the portrait, he is depicted at the age of about 20 — after graduating from the School of Guards Ensigns and Cavalry Junkers. Nikolay Terenin participated in the Polish-Russian war, distinguished himself in battle, and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, and St. Anne, 3rd class. He was married and had three sons, one of whom became governor of the Simbirsk governorate.
The portraitist’s name is unknown. He was likely to belong to Mitoire’s artistic circle. The French painter Benoît-Charles Mitoire had lived in Saint Petersburg for 30 years. He became an academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts and painted dozens of portraits featuring high officials and Russian nobility. The “Portrait of Cornet N.M. Terenin” was painted in Mitoire’s style including its background, color palette, posture, and the facial expression. It depicts the young man’s dignity, confidence and courage on the verge of remarkable achievements.
