Pyotr Sokolov

Pyotr Fyodorovich Sokolov (; 1787 – ) was a Russian painter and draughtsman, active in St. Petersburg and Moscow during Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I's reigns, best known for his watercolor portraits. The first watercolorist to be elected an Imperial Academician, he painted many of the most distinguished figures of the Pushkin era. Along his sons Pyotr, Pavel and Aleksandr, all fellow artisans, he was an in-law to the extended Bryullov family.

Early life Sokolov was born in Moscow, and between the years of 1800 to 1809 he attended the Imperial Academy of Arts where he studied with Alexei Yegorov and Vasily Shebuyev who both were very famous and respected artists. In 1809, Sokolov painted "Andromache Mourning Hector" ("Андромаха оплакивает убитого Гектора") for his alma mater's competition, receiving a minor gold medal as well as the title of "Artist". As part of the Academy's offerings, the students who won the major gold medal were also awarded a stipend to go abroad to enhance their education. Sokolov wanted to continue his education in Italy, so he stayed in school for one more year and participated in the contest again, but he did not manage to achieve this goal. In addition to that, he was the person who has started the genre of the aquarelle portraiture in Russian art. From 1820 and onwards, he completely involved himself in perfecting his art form in which he succeeded.

Selected portraits