Olga's Gallery

Jean-Laurent Mosnier

(1743/4-1808)



Jean Laurent Mosnier, a court painter of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette was welcomed to St. Petersburg. In Russia he worked in 1795-1808 and executed many portraits.

Notes

Muravyeva-Apostol, Anna Dmitrievna (177.-1810) the daughter of a general first of the Austrian, and then of the Russian Army, Simon Cernoevic, a nobleman of Serb origin, and his wife Elisabeth Kashkina. April 19, 1790 she married a diplomat and scientist Ivan Matveevich Muravyev-Apostol. She brought up her children in France and was afraid to bring them home in fear of the corruptive influence of serfdom. Because of the unfriendly relations between France and Russia she had to ask Napoleon’s permission to live in Paris, which he granted with the words that “until virtue is respected in France, M-me Muravyova will meet no oppression in this country”. Only on their way to Russia, in 1809, Anna told her sons that they would find slaves at home. All three of her sons became revolutionaries, two of them died for the cause – Sergey (1796-1826) was executed by the tsar, Nicholas I, Ippolit (1806-1826) committed suicide after the December revolt of 1825 failed. The boy in the picture, Matvey (Matthew) (1793-1886), was stripped of all titles and property and exiled to Siberia, where he spent 30 years. Anna Dmitrievna had 3 sons and 4 daughters. In the paintings she is with her son Matthew and daughter Catherine (1794-1849).

Muravyova, Catherine (also Ekaterina) Fedorovna (1771-1848), nèe Baroness Kolokoltsova, wife of Mikhail Nikitich Muravyov (1757-1807), mentor of Grand Dukes Alexander (future Alexander I) and Konstantin, Senator and State Secretary. They had two sons, both became revolutionaries and participated in the December revolt of 1825. In the painting M-me Muravyova is with her son Nikita Muravyov (1796-1866)

Shakhovskaya, Elisabeth (also Elizaveta) Borisovna (1773-1796), Countess, daughter of Lieutenant General, Count Boris Grigorievich Shakhovskoy and his wife Baroness Varvara Alexandrovna Stroganova, was born November 29, 1773. She spent her childhood and youth in France, where, February 4, 1792, she was married off to Prince d’Arenberg (1757-1795), who took an active part in revolutionary events in Europe. When she found out about the marriage, Catherine II was indignant, “Je veux agir avec vigueur dans un pareil cas” (I’m going to act resolutely in this case). She ordered both countesses to return to Russia and Prince d’Arenberg was not allowed to enter the country. Catherine II was afraid of his revolutionary ideas, which could become more productive with the help of the enormous fortune of the countesses (they had 13,000 serfs only in the Perm region). The marriage was dissolved by the Holy Sinod. On her return to Russia Elizabeth fell in love with her namesake, Count Piotr (also Peter) Fiodorovich Shakhovskoy (1773-1841) and left with him to his estate, where they were married against the will of her parents. A year later Elizabeth committed suicide by poisoning herself. This death aroused much whispering in high society. There were several legends. The first one said that her former husband, Prince d’Arenberg, came to Russia incognito, met her and asked her to return to him. After she refused, he committed suicide April 2, 1795 in Rome. She, in her turn, died when she learned about his death.
The second legend is more probable: Elizabeth fell in love with a young guard officer, unfortunately her love was not mutual and the passionate beauty chose death.
 
 

Back to Jean-Laurent Mosnier's Page

Home      Artist Index     Country Index