Ilya Semyonovich Ostroukhov

Ilya Semyonovich Ostroukhov was a Russian landscape painter, a collector of paintings and Old Russian icons, and a master of painting attribution. He was a member of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki), the Union of Russian Artists, and an academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. A friend of P. M. Tretyakov, he was one of the managers of the Tretyakov Gallery. Ivan Semyonovich was born in Moscow into a merchant family. He was educated at the Moscow Practical Academy of Commercial Sciences. During his studies he became interested in zoology, which led to a correspondence with the zoologist Alfred Brehm, the creation of his own entomological collection (later donated to Moscow University) and the writing of the book "Fishing".

In 1880 he began studying painting with the landscape artist A. A. Kiselyov. Ostroukhov's artistic debut took place in 1884 at an exhibition of the Moscow Society of Art Lovers: the painter presented the landscape "Rechka" ("The Little River"). Subsequently Ostroukhov became a member of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions and the Union of Russian Artists, an academician of the Academy of Arts, organized the Russian section at the World's Fair in Paris, and was awarded the Legion of Honour. Ostroukhov also took an active part in public life, held positions in the Moscow City Duma, and became chairman of the Board and trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery.

In 1906 Ostroukhov was elected a full member of the Academy of Arts and devoted himself entirely to public activities. The artist returned to painting only in 1916: he created a series of landscapes while vacationing in Crimea. In the following years, due to illness, he worked in the studio and produced paintings based on old studies. Notable late works include "Leaves Don't Tremble..." and "Birch Autumn." The painter's last solo exhibition was held in 1925 at the Tretyakov Gallery. Ilya Semyonovich died in Moscow on July 8, 1929, at the age of 71 and was buried in the Danilov Cemetery in Moscow.