Dmitry Levitzky

Key facts

Lived

1735–1822, Russian^[1]

Movements

• portrait painting
• portrait

^[1]

Works held in

6 museums

Wikipedia

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• What is Dmitry Levitzky known for?+

  Dmitry Levitzky is known for his portraits, which later critics placed alongside Rokotov and Borovikovsky at the summit of eighteenth-century Russian^[1] portraiture. His Smolny Institute series, commissioned by Catherine II, depicted noble girls of the imperial school in theatrical and musical poses.
• What is Dmitry Levitzky's most famous work?+

  Dmitry Grigoryevich Levitzky (1735^[1]-1822^[1]) was a Ukrainian-born painter who created portraits for the Russian^[1] Imperial court. He is best known for his formal portraits of Catherine the Great and members of the Russian aristocracy. Among Levitzky's most recognised works is his series of portraits depicting young women from the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, a school for girls from aristocratic families. Commissioned by Catherine II, these portraits (executed in the 1770s) captured the grace and accomplishments of the students. The sitters are shown engaged in activities such as performing music, dancing, and acting in theatrical productions. His 1780s portrait^[1] of Catherine II as a Legislator in the Temple of Justice is another popular work. It presents the Empress in front of an altar to the Roman goddess of Justice. She wears a simple dress and stands barefoot, presenting herself as a humble servant of the state. The painting is now part of the collection of the Russian Museum in St Petersburg.
• What should I know about Dmitry Levitzky's prints?+

  Printmaking has a long history, going back to ancient Egypt and China. As paper became more available in Europe around the end of the 14th century, printmaking began to grow there. Woodcuts were used for book illustration, religious icons, souvenirs, and playing cards. Before photography, prints were used whenever multiple images were needed. Printmaking was mostly seen as a craft for commercial reproduction; however, some masters created high art through graphics. Prints gradually became viewed as a major artistic medium in the later 19th century, and the quality of individual impressions gained importance. Artists began signing their prints to distinguish original graphics from reproductions. They also started limiting the number of prints and numbering them to control quality and prevent excessive printing, as well as using handmade or specially manufactured paper. Original prints allowed artists to reach a larger audience because they were more affordable and could be distributed widely.
• What style or movement did Dmitry Levitzky belong to?+

  Dmitry Levitzky was a portrait^[1] painter who worked in Russia during the second half of the eighteenth century. He is generally regarded as one of the three most important Russian^[1] portraitists of the era, alongside Fyodor Rokotov and Vladimir Borovikovsky; however, their styles differed considerably. Levitzky was born in Ukraine, the son of a priest and engraver. He studied with Antropov, then produced icons in Moscow for some years. From 1771^[1] to 1788, he taught portraiture at the Academy. He is known for his ability to capture and express personality in his portraits, paying careful attention to detail while maintaining a sense of spontaneity. Catherine the Great commissioned Levitzky to paint portraits of her favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute between 1773 and 1776. These portraits depicted the young noblewomen engaged in activities such as amateur dramatics, playing the harp, and dancing. His portraits of foreign visitors to Saint Petersburg, including Diderot, brought him international recognition, with some comparing his style to that of Boucher and Watteau. In 1788, illness forced him to retire from the Academy.
• What techniques or materials did Dmitry Levitzky use?+

  Dmitry Levitzky's painting techniques are not described in detail in the reference passages. However, information about painting practices of the period, and analysis of contemporary works, provides some context. Seventeenth-century Latvian churches used materials that reflected regional availability and various artistic influences. The churches at Nurmuizha and Burtnieki, both decorated in the 1680s, show different approaches. Nurmuizha used a chalk-glue ground, while Burtnieki used an ochre in oil ground. Pigments like indigo and smalt were common for blue colours; natural ultramarine was rare. Gilding was used, sometimes with water-gilding techniques. Decorative wood carvings were often silvered, with coloured glazes applied in some areas. The choice of materials and techniques often depended on the craftspeople available, as there was considerable movement of such workers. A painter might be brought in from any workshop, especially in rural areas, introducing their typical methods.
• What was Dmitry Levitzky known for?+

  Dmitry Levitzky, a Ukrainian-born painter, is remembered for his skill in portraiture. The son of a priest and engraver, he studied with Antropov before creating icons for churches in Moscow. From 1771^[1] to 1788, Levitzky taught portrait painting^[1] at the Academy. Levitzky excelled at portraying women. His subjects included the aristocrat Ursula Mniszech and Maria Diakova, who was the wife of Nikolaï Lvov. Between 1773 and 1776, Catherine the Great commissioned him to paint portraits of her favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute, a school for young noblewomen. These paintings depicted the girls engaged in activities such as amateur dramatics, playing the harp, and dancing. His portraits of foreign visitors to Saint Petersburg, including Diderot, brought him international recognition. Some critics compared his style to that of Boucher and Watteau. Illness forced his retirement from the Academy in 1788, and he painted very little in the last three decades of his life. He possessed an ability to interpret and express personality, and his work maintained a feeling of spontaneity.
• When did Dmitry Levitzky live and work?+

  Dmitry Levitzky was born in the Ukraine. The son of a priest, he later moved to Russia, where he lived and worked for most of his life. From 1771^[1] to 1788, Levitzky taught portraiture at the Academy. He became known for his skill in capturing and expressing personality in his portraits. Every detail was carefully painted; yet his works retained a feeling of spontaneity. Between 1773 and 1776, Catherine the Great commissioned Levitzky to paint a series of portraits of her favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute, a school she founded for young noblewomen. He also painted portraits of foreign visitors to Saint Petersburg, including Diderot. His style was compared to that of Boucher and Watteau, and he gained some recognition outside Russia. Illness forced Levitzky to retire from the Academy in 1788, where he had been the principal teacher of portraiture. He painted very little during the last thirty years of his life.
• Where can I see Dmitry Levitzky's work?+

  Dmitry Levitzky's works can be found in numerous museums and collections. These include the All-Russian^[1] Museum of Decorative and Folk Art, the Astrakhan Kustodiev Picture Gallery, and the Kuskovo State Porcelain Museum. These are all located in Russia. His art is also held in international collections. These include the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo, New York), the Dallas Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. These are located in the United States and Italy. Other locations include the Wilhelm Hack Museum (Ludwigshafen, Germany) and the Irkutsk Regional Art Museum. Many other galleries and private collections throughout Europe and the United States also hold works. These include the Galerie Gmurzynska (Cologne), Annely Juda Fine Art (London), and the Collection Thea Berggren (Chicago).
• Where was Dmitry Levitzky from?+

  Dmitry Levitzky was born in the Ukraine. His father was a priest and a gifted engraver. After studying with Antropov, Levitzky spent a few years producing icons for churches in Moscow. From 1771^[1] to 1788, he taught portrait painting^[1] at the Academy. He excelled at female portraiture, as seen in his paintings of Ursula Mniszech and Maria Diakova (the wife of architect, painter, and poet Nikolaï Lvov). Between 1773 and 1776, at the request of Catherine the Great, he painted portraits of her favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute (a school she founded for young noblewomen). These portraits showed them engaged in activities such as amateur dramatics, playing the harp, or dancing the minuet. Thanks to his portraits of foreign visitors to Saint Petersburg, including Diderot, Levitzky acquired a reputation outside Russia. His style was even compared to that of Boucher and Watteau. In 1788, illness forced him to retire from the Academy, where he had been the principal teacher of portraiture. During the last thirty years of his life, he hardly painted at all.
• Who did Dmitry Levitzky influence?+

  Information about Dmitry Levitzky's influence on other artists is scarce. However, the broader context of Russian^[1] art history offers some relevant connections. The Blue Rose group, emerging in the early 1900s, favoured a subjective, intuitive approach to art. Essays by Nikolai Kulbin and Vladimir Markov emphasised this. Their focus on the psychological aspects of the creative process links to a tentative expressionist movement in Russia. David Burliuk and Pavel Filonov might be assigned to it. Figures such as Liubov Popova, Alexander Rodchenko, and Vladimir Tatlin were influenced by Mikhail Vrubel. Rodchenko stated that in the early 1910s he 'painted like Vrubel,' while Tatlin valued and collected Vrubel's artwork. Other avant-garde artists who encountered Vrubel’s work include Natalia Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Alexandra Ekster, Alexander Archipenko, David Burliuk, and Kazimir Malevich. Naum Gabo summarised Vrubel’s impact, stating that he freed painting and sculpture from academic schemata. Gabo considered Vrubel's influence on their visual consciousness as decisive as Cézanne’s.
• Who influenced Dmitry Levitzky?+

  Dmitry Levitzky, born in Ukraine, was the son of a priest and gifted engraver. He initially studied with Antropov. Later, from 1771^[1] to 1788, he taught portrait painting^[1] at the Academy. During his time, Russian^[1] painting owed much to European fashions, which often reached Russia with some delay. However, Russian painters could familiarise themselves with art through reproductions and the art-buying habits of the ruling class. Catherine the Great, for example, acquired French, Italian, and Dutch masterpieces for the Hermitage. Levitzky's style has been compared to that of Boucher and Watteau. He excelled at female portraiture, painting Ursula Mniszech and Maria Diakova, among others. Between 1773 and 1776, he painted Catherine the Great's favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute, depicting them in activities such as amateur dramatics and playing musical instruments.
• Who was Dmitry Levitzky?+

  Dmitry Levitzky (born in Ukraine) was an 18th-century portrait painter active in Russia. The son of a priest and engraver, Levitzky studied with Antropov before producing icons in Moscow. From 1771^[1] to 1788, he taught portrait painting^[1] at the Academy. Levitzky gained recognition for his ability to capture personality in his portraits, with careful attention to detail and a sense of spontaneity. He excelled in female portraiture, painting Ursula Mniszech and Maria Diakova (wife of Nikolai Lvov). Between 1773 and 1776, Catherine the Great commissioned him to paint portraits of her favourite pupils at the Smolny Institute, depicting them engaged in activities such as amateur dramatics, playing the harp, and dancing. His portraits of foreign visitors to Saint Petersburg, including Diderot, earned him an international reputation, with comparisons to Boucher and Watteau. In 1788, illness led to his retirement from the Academy, where he had been the principal teacher of portraiture. He painted very little in the last thirty years of his life.