Bogolyubov Alexey Petrovich (1824-1896) - Russian marine painter.
Born in 1824 in the Novgorod province, brought up in the Marine Corps. While still a cadet, Bogolyubov was engaged in painting. In 1839, he began service in the Navy. In 1849, the artist was among the officers of the Kamchatka ship, on which Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg went to Madera. Having become acquainted with Bogolyubovs drawings, the duke advised the young officer to devote himself to art. Bogolyubov followed the Dukes advice and in 1850 entered the Academy of Arts as a volunteer student. He owes his artistic education primarily to Professor M.P. Vorobyov and B.I. Villevalde. For two paintings of the Kronstadt harbor and for the painting "Flood in the Kronstadt harbor in 1824" the young artist Alexei Bogolyubov was presented with the highest gifts on behalf of His Imperial Majesty.
In 1852, the artist received a second gold medal for three paintings: "View of the Smolny Monastery from Bolshaya Okhta", "Battle of the Mercury brig with two Turkish ships" (from the Turkish war of 1828) and "Departure of Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg from Lisbon". Bogolyubov graduated from the academy in 1863 with the first gold medal and at the same time, by the highest order, was appointed an artist of the Main Naval H.Q. . Then, left the naval service, Bogolyubov traveled throughout Europe for seven years. In Geneva, he took advice of the famous Calam; in Paris he worked in the studio of Isobe and for two years studied under the famous marine painter Andrei Achenbach. In the same 1856, Bogolyubov visited Constantinople, the Danube and Sinop with the aim of writing several sketches for paintings commissioned by Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich. Upon his return he received the title of academician, and in 1860, professor of painting. At the same time, Bogolyubov arranged an exhibition of his works in the halls of the academy in favor of the widows and orphans of artists. At this exhibition, the publics particular attention was drawn to paintings from the history of our fleet, commissioned by the sovereign, and especially his "Sinop" and "Kermes in Amsterdam" (currently in the Hermitage). In subsequent years, Bogolyubov traveled a lot with artistic purposes in Russia. Emperor Alexander II, appreciating the works and talent of Bogolyubov, commissioned him to write in pictures the history of the fleet of Peter the Great; Bogolyubov was busy with these works throughout the last reign. The last Turkish war in its Black Sea and Danube exploits was also reflected in the work of our marine painter. In addition to these works, Bogolyubov, on behalf of the Hydrographic Department of the Maritime Ministry, together with Captains Bazhenov and Crown, sailed through the Baltic ports, along the Gulf of Finland and skerries for the atlas, depicted the coast and measured the locations of ports and skerry passes. The same atlas was made by him in the Caspian Sea under the guidance of the famous hydrographer, Captain Ivashentsov. In 1871, Bogolyubov painted several frescoes for the Orthodox Church in Paris. In the same year, he gave the academy up to 225 sketches in oil paints and 800 drawings of nets and watercolors. For the last twenty years, Bogolyubov has been living in Paris, only occasionally visiting Russia. Thanks to his initiative, a Society for Mutual Assistance to Russian Artists was established in Paris, which provides shelter and an opportunity for young Russian artists to work in a public workshop from nature, without any personal expenses. On January 8, 1891, on the initiative of the members of this society, the fiftieth anniversary of A.P. Bogolyubov was celebrated, since on January 8, 1841, Bogolyubov graduated from the naval cadet corps with the rank of midshipman of the fleet. It should also be noted that the Bogolyubovs set up the Radishchev Museum in the city of Saratov, to whom the artist is a grandson. Without a doubt, Alexey Petrovich Bogolyubov is one of the first, most talented marine painters. It can be placed alongside the best European marine painters. Bogolyubovs advantage is that he knows Russian nature perfectly; he was the first to reproduce in works of high dignity the banks of the Volga, Oka, the Caspian and Black Seas, many coastal areas of Finland and the Gulf of Finland. There is no doubt that Bogolyubovs extensive compositions on the part of naval battles will remain in the history of Russian landscape; some of them, such as the naval battle of Sinop, exhibit remarkable strength of composition, excellent distribution of details, great coloring and excellent drawing. The paintings, executed on behalf of the emperors Nicholas and Alexander II, form a whole gallery that makes up almost the complete history of the Russian navy.