Creation of a Miniature Painting Class as an Artistic Cultural Event

The miniature painting class at the Imperial Academy of Arts existed for more than half a century, but no researcher has examined the prerequisites for its formation. Information about the class’s activities is sketchy, and the names and number of students remain unknown. From a review of the historiography on the subject it becomes clear that there are almost no documents devoted to the problem of teaching miniature painting at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Since the reign of Peter the Great, the miniature portrait has gone through several stages: a reward portrait depicting reigning persons (a distinctive sign that speaks of the special position and status of the awarded person); a fashion accessory, along with fans and snuff-boxes; finally, a portrait that can always be taken with you to preserve the image of your favorite person. By the middle of the 18th century, the chamber portrait was particularly popular among city dwellers, which met the new ideas about the value and special significance of private life and a person’s inner world. However, not only the fashion for miniature portraits contributed to the opening of the miniature painting class, one should not forget about the economic side of the issue, which was very relevant for the Academy. Children from poor families were accepted to study in the classes of the Academy of Arts, so that in one class, which was not the largest, the sons of apprentices, soldiers, church servants, merchants, musicians could study, and the material issue was not of secondary importance for them. That is why the question of transferring miniaturists to work at porcelain factories becomes very urgent. The creation of a class of miniature painting was a kind of response to the needs of the time, when with the advent of the XVIII century. Russia is gradually included in the pan-European development of artistic culture.

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