Anton Losenko painted Zeus and Thetis in Rome in 1769, during the final year of his period as a fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts in Italy. Count Ivan Shuvalov also lived in Rome at the time and commissioned the painting from the artist for Count Kirill Razumovsky.
Shuvalov dispatched the canvas to St Petersburg along with casts of ancient sculptures for the Imperial Academy of Arts. One of the first works of Russian Neoclassicism, Zeus and Thetis is distinguished for its classical simplicity and clear and distinct forms, interweaving ancient reminiscences with direct work from life.

Losenko Anton

Losenko, Anton Pavlovich
1757, Glukhov - 1773 St Petersburg
History painter, portraitist, draughtsman. Studied at Ivan Argunov''s studio (from 1753) and under Jean-Louis de Velly and Louis-Jean-Francois Lagrenee at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1758-60). Taught at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Adjunct (1762). Fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts in France (1760-62, 1763-65), studied under Jean Restout and Joseph-Marie Vien. Awarded silver medals for drawings by the Academic des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1763, 1764,1765). Studied in Italy (1765-69). Nominated to the Imperial Academy of Arts (1769), academician and professor (1770). Head of the history painting class, director of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1772-73