Russian Museum
Augmented Reality

Annotation

In 1718 Peter the Great issued a decree on assemblies, evenings of entertainment that became an essential part of society life in St Petersburg; time at them was usually spent in dancing, various games and interesting conversations. In introducing assemblies Peter was pursuing his aim of grafting onto Russian soil certain everyday West European traditions that seemed useful to him and that would also help in both the internal and the external liberation of women whose lives up to then had been devoted solely to fulfilling their domestic duties. In the painting by Stanisław Chlebowski the attention of the people present is drawn to a man who has just come in; he has a long beard and is dressed in the old style of the boyars. The guest is trying to refuse a large goblet of wine that is apparently being offered to him as a fine for his late arrival. Peter the Great is sitting at a table and watching the scene with interest. The artist has placed Empress Catherine I and one of her daughters on the right.

Author's Biography

Chlebowski Stanislaw

Chlebowski, Stanislaw
1835, Pokutyńce (Podole) – 1884Kowanówko (Poznań)
Polish painter. Studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1853–1859). Awarded a silver medal (1857), minor gold medal (1858) for AssemblyattheCourtofPeter the Great;major gold medal forCatherine the Great Receiving Zaporozhian Complaints; awarded the title of class artist in genre painting. Foreign fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts in France, Belgium and Spain (1862–1866). Court painter for Sultan Abdülaziz in Constantinople (1864–1876). Painted battle compositions related to the history of Turkey and portraits of the Sultan. Lived in Turkey and visited Germany, France, Italy and Poland. Moved to Cairo (1873) to paint ornamental compositions in oil and watercolours. Moved to Paris due to the volatile politicalsituation in Constantinople (1876).