Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin (1835 - 1896)

Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin

Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin (Russian: Михаил Осипович Микешин) was a Russian painter and sculptor of the second half of the 19th century, a representative of the realist trend in art. He is best known for creating monumental monuments of the historical genre.

Mikhail Mikeshin, a native of the Russian countryside, achieved success at a young age. He was 23 years old when one of his paintings was bought by Emperor Nicholas I, who later invited him to teach his daughters painting. At the age of 24 years Mikeshin won the competition to build a monument in Novgorod, dedicated to the millennium of Russia. In subsequent years, he created many monuments, which were installed in different cities of Russia. Among his famous works is the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky in Kiev, which had long become a symbol of the Ukrainian capital. Mikeshin received orders from other countries to build monuments and won international competitions.

Mikeshin worked fruitfully in other genres of art. His cartoons are regularly published in satirical magazines, and publishers are constantly asking him to illustrate the works of Russian writers. In addition, until his death Mikeshin continued to paint pictures, including portraits and genre works.