Eugène Pluchart

His father, Alexandre Pluchart [ru], was a typographer, originally from Valenciennes, who moved to Russia in 1805; becoming Director of publications for the Collegium of Foreign Affairs.

His painting of an odalisque earned him the title of "Academician Candidate" from the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1836.

Three years later, he became a full Academician for his portrait of the composer and violinist, Karol Lipiński.

He specialized in portraits of well-known personalities, predominantly female, but also created a number of frescoes at Saint Isaac's Cathedral in the 1840s.

Not long after, he briefly considered returning to Saint Petersburg, to repair his frescoes, which had been damaged by dampness, but chose not to.