VERESHCHAGIN Petr Petrovich

January 14, 1834 (with selected references indicating a year of birth 1836, Perm) — January 16, 1886 (St. Petersburg)

Painter, graphic artist

Petr Vereshchagin was born to a family of the painter P. P. Vereshchagin, and was a brother of the painters V. P. and M. P. Vereshchagins. Firstly he studied drawing and painting under the guidance of his father, after his death — under grandfather icon painter I. V. Babin. At the same time he studied under the painter A. U. Orlov.

In 1856 Vereshchagin moved to St. Petersburg and entered the Imperial Academy of Arts (IAKh). He attended the class of landscape painting of S. M. Vorobiev. In 1861 Vereshchagin was awarded small silver medal for pictorial study On the Volga River. A year later the artist was awarded big silver medal for the painting View of Baku. In 1865 Vereshchagin graduated from the Academy with the title of class artist of the 3rd degree. In 1867 the painter was conferred a title of class artist of the 2nd degree for the paintings Market in Novgorod Province, View of Dinaburg, View of Lucyn’s Environs; in 1868 — title of class artist of the 1st degree for the paintings View of the Kremlin and Flea Market in Moscow.

Vereshchagin lived in St. Petersburg. From 1860 till the end of his life the artist took part in the exhibitions of the Academy. He travelled through Russia, in 1861 and 1873 he made a trip down the Volga River, in 1864 he visited Finland and west provinces, in 1862–1874 — the Caucasus, in 1873 — Kiev.

In 1867 the artist joined Moscow Society of Art Lovers. In 1873 Vereshchagin was elected academician of landscape painting for his works View of Baku, Mezhgorye Factory near Kiev, View of Kiev, Nizhny Novgorod, Market in Nizhny Novgorod and others. In 1876 the Ural Mining Railway ordered the artist to paint the views of the Chusovaya River in Perm province. In 1877, during the Russo-Turkish War, Vereshchagin went to the seat of war, where he executed a series of sketches and drawings.

In 1984 the joint exhibition of painting and drawing by V. P. and P. P. Vereshchagins was held in Perm State Art Gallery.

Petr Vereshchagin is a representative of academic style in landscape painting of the 2nd half of the 19th century. Petr as well as his brother Vasily Vereshchagin wasn’t close to modern art trends of 1860s–1880s; the Itinerants had no influence on his manner of painting. In spite of this his paintings were successful and were in demand at the art market of that time. Vereshchagin often varied successful motifs in his works. His paintings are characterized by proper perspective and illusionistic space. The artist often added genre scenes to his landscapes.

Works by Petr Vereshchagin are in many museum and private collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum, and Perm State Art Gallery and others.