The opening of a small solo exhibition of P.V. Basin at the Tretyakov Gallery was brought about by the study of the artist’s letters and their publication with detailed commentaries. This article by the curator of the exhibition acquaints the reader with the key aspects of the biography of this undeservingly forgotten 19th century classic. The main emphasis is placed on the time (over 10 years) of Pyotr Basin’s life in Italy as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts. Here he produces romanticized landscapes; portraits of S.F. Shchedrin and M.Y. Naryshkina with daughter Alexandra; and a whole series of paintings on mythological and biblical themes, including “Socrates Defending Alcibiades at the Battle of Potide”. Upon his return to Russia, he teaches at the Academy and fulfils important government orders with his characteristic romantic spirituality and live perception of the subject. After completing the arduous project of painting the St. Isaac’s Cathedral the artist travels to Italy where he spends four months visiting memorable places of his youth.
Key words: P.V. Basin, first half of 19th-century painting, exhibition, attribution, “M.Y. Naryshkina with daughter Alexandra”, the Tretyakov Gallery.
