Biography of Christina Robertson

She worked for several years at the Russian Imperial Court. Kristina Robertson became the first woman-an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy since the year and the second woman after the Elizabeth of Vizha-Labrene, adopted at the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts, the Honorary "free commoner" since the year. Kristina was born in Scotland, in Kinghorn-In-Faif, near Edinburgh, in a family of educated and wealthy parents.

Her uncle, George Saunders George Sanders, was a famous miniature artist. It is believed that he taught her artistic skill in his London workshop and helped her at first with customers, among whom the young artist had influential customers early. Kristina Sonders was a good portrait artist, and quickly received an order flow, initially from Scottish patrons for her miniatures, but later for paintings with oil and watercolors, earning more than her mentor.

In the year, she married the artist and engraver James Robertson James Robertson, a journalist, one of the first British photographers. They had 8 children, but two sons, John and William and two daughters, Agnes and Mary reached their mature age. In the year of the work of Christina Robertson, they were represented by the London public in the halls of the Royal Academy. For ten years, her reputation of the portrait was greatly strengthened, the prices of her work rose, she could afford the workshop in the very prestigious area of ​​London on Harley Street.

Now, for the most part, representatives of the British aristocracy, rich landowners, entrepreneurs and bankers turned to her. In the year she was admitted to the Royal Academy in Edinburgh. In the x years, her name became known on the continent. She worked several times in Paris, where she met representatives of the Russian nobility and members of the imperial court. They were well known in Europe and in Russia.

For the first time, Christina Robertson arrived in St. Petersburg in the year. At first, she wrote portraits of representatives of the Russian nobility, some of which were replicated in the engravings of Henry Robinson Henry Robinson, who then lived in Russia. Full correspondence to the spirit of the era and the requirements of fashion made the elegant art of the British portraitor recognizable and in demand.

In the spring of the year, Christina Robertson was invited to write portraits of Nicholas I and his family members. The paintings were presented at the Academy. For these works, Christina Robertson was elected an honorary member of the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts.

She once again arrived in St. Petersburg in years. She worked as an artist at the imperial court. But in the year, Nicholas I “remained not satisfied” with his portrait and portraits of the daughter -in -law - the Cesarevna Maria Alexandrovna and the Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna. The future Empress Maria Aleksandrovna later ordered Robertson her own portrait, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna - a portrait with children, and the empress chose her to write an updated ceremonial portrait of the year.

Kristina Robertson died on April 30 at the age of 57, in St. Petersburg. Her death during the Crimean War, when the majority of the British colony in St. Petersburg left Russia, remained unnoticed. The artist was buried in the Volkovsky Lutheran cemetery. Watercolor portraits written by Christina Robertson continued to decorate the working rooms of Alexander II.

The ceremonial portrait of Alexandra Fedorovna remained in the rotunda of the Winter Palace until the October Revolution. After the revolution, the portraits of Robertson, stored in private collections, were scattered at provincial museums. The Hermitage collection contains thirteen works of Robertson. Including - seven portraits of members of the imperial house, four - representatives of the Yusupov family from the meeting of the Yusupovsky Palace, a portrait of Yu.

Kurakina and, probably, one of the best works by Robertson - “Children with a parrot”. Who exactly is depicted on this double portrait of the year is not known. Three portraits, which caused the discontent of Nicholas I in the year, are stored in the museums of Peterhof. Christina Robertson. Victoria and Albert Museum Christina Robertson. Children with Parrot. Hermitage Christina Robertson.

Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. Prince N. Three Unknown Children. Mary Milnes Gaskell. Private Collection Christina Robertson. Lady Louisa Rolle. Helen Fraser. Nationalmuseum Stockholm Christina Robertson. William Fraser. Zinaida yuspova. Princess E. Grand-Duchesses Olga and Alexandra. Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia. Olga nikolaevna of Russia. Maria Nikolaevna of Russia.

Maria Nikolaevna of Leuchtenberg. Nicholas I. Hillwood Museum Washington Christina Robertson. Maria alexandrovna of Russia. Prince Boris Yusupov. Russian museum.