The Hungarian painter and graphic artist Mihaly Zichy (1827-1906), who "served" in the Russian Empire for more than 50 years, was called "the artist of four Russian emperors". By coincidence, the life of Mihaly Zichy was closely connected with the Russian Empire. Zichy arrived in Petersburg in January 1848. A young talented painter, born draughtsman, an inquisitive man interested in all kinds of fine arts, he quickly became famous in the aristocratic circles of St. Petersburg.

Ten years later, in April 1858, Mihaly Zichy was elevated to the rank of academician of watercolour painting. A year later, in May 1859, Emperor Alexander II "granted Academician Mihaly Zichy the title of painter of His Imperial Majesty with his accession to the Imperial Hermitage". Already in February 1860, another order from the Tsar followed – to provide Zichy with room in the lower floor of the New Hermitage for his studio. In 1863, "the Emperor granted Zichy the Order of St Stanislaw, 2nd Class, for the execution of eight large drawings for chromolithographs and ten engravings for the text of the next edition describing the "Holy Coronation of Their Majesties".

Events of national importance – visits of the German Emperor, the Shah of Persia, receptions of ambassadorial deputations, scenes of the betrothal and wedding of the heir, the birth and baptism of the Grand Duke (the future Nicholas II), military inspections, parades, as well as entertainment of the tsar family and persons close to the Court -- plays, fancy-dressed balls, acting charades and especially Imperial hunting with their elaborate ritual of actions of each participant – everything was the subject of scrupulous depiction by the artist.

The story about the painter Mihaly Zichy is posted in the column ‘Walking through the museum’.

Photo album featuring some works of Mihaly Zichy presented in the museum collection section "Graphics", is posted in the museum Photo Gallery.