Volkov Muromtsev (a pseudonym - AN Rousseau), Alexander

January 23, 1844 (St. Petersburg) - May 21, 1928 (Italy)

painter and graphic artist.

Biographical details are scarce. The artist came from a wealthy aristocratic family of large landowners. In his youth, was in public service. Systematic arts education is not received, and began to independently engage in painting and drawing only 35 years old.

Wrote mostly watercolor - genre scenes, interiors of cathedrals, landscapes of southern cities. The works of the artist's remarkably thoroughness of execution, he worked as a small brush, seeking almost photographic accuracy of the image.

In 1880 Volkov Muromtsev sent some of his watercolors to the Society of Fine Arts in London, where they were sold at unexpectedly high prices. In the next twenty years Society annually organizes exhibitions of his watercolors, giving the wall of one or two rooms and holding 25 percent of the value of sold works. At home the artist almost never been exposed, which explains the unpopularity of its equipment from Russia's public. Despite this, had among home buyers and collectors, in particular one of the artist's works acquired in his collection P. Tretyakov.

In 1892 met with Eleonora Duse, and wrote her portrait, which is one of the best portraits of the famous actress. He was widely replicated in the form of cards (often without the author's name). In 1913, Volkov Muromtsev left in Shweds, and in 1917 he lived in Florence, where he received the news of the revolution and the defeat of his estate. In recent years he wrote his memoirs, which were published in London shortly after his death.

Most of the creative heritage of the artist are in private collections, although a number of works represented in the collections of public museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery.