Russian School, 18th Century

This lot is sold with a detailed letter of expertise from A.M. Gorshman, suggesting the identification on the basis of the sitter's uniform and apparent age. Betsky is an important figure of the time of Catherine the Great, an architect and administrator - amongst his other duties he was the recipient of the Gotzkowsky collection of Old Masters on behalf of the Empress, which included Govaert Flinck's An Old Man at a Casement (sold at Christie's, King Street, 6 December 2011, lot 13, £2,337,250). The activity of many of Russia's leading architects is tied to the Chancery of Works, including that of A.F. Kokorin, D. Quarenghi, M.F. Kazakov, B.F. Rastrelli, A.N. Voronikhin and V.I. Bazhenov - none of these, however, held the honour of Betsky's official title. Betsky's tireless efforts for education contributed to the foundation of many schools in Saint Petersburg and Moscow, including those at the Academy of Arts and that of Sciences, the Smolny Institute, the Commercial School in Moscow, and others.