We suggest to take a closer look at the exhibition ‘In the Footsteps of Pechorin,’ which recently opened at the museum Collection.
In this post, we turn our attention to the masterpieces of Mihály Zichy – a ‘Hungarian subject with a Russian soul,’ whose career at the St. Petersburg court spanned half a century and three imperial reigns. Having become a court painter under Nicholas I, he grew into an indispensable chronicler of Russian history, preserving the image of the Empire for us in thousands of watercolours and drawings.

Zichy possessed phenomenal speed and accuracy – in the era before reportage photography, he performed its very functions. Under Alexander II, he became the ‘shadow’ of the sovereign, capturing everything: from dazzling balls and grand coronation celebrations to intimate family dinners and the famous imperial hunts.

Under Alexander III, his status became almost legendary. The artist did not merely record events; he created a visual code of the era, where the documentary precision of uniforms and interiors was seamlessly combined with a virtuoso lightness of touch.
Yet Zichy’s true passion lay beyond the bounds of court etiquette. Endowed with a profound romantic outlook, he became one of the finest illustrators of Mikhail Lermontov. In his 1880s works for 'A Hero of Our Time,' Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk come to life with cinematic authenticity, revealing both the chronicler and the dramatist.
With 'down-to-the-last-button' precision, the artist recreated the atmosphere of 'water society,' the promenades by the 'Aeolian Harp,' and the scandals in the restaurants; on the other hand, he masterfully captured the psychological tension of key scenes – from the fatal duel at Lermontov Rock to the secret trysts in Diana's Grotto.

Today, Zichy’s legacy is a unique fusion of historical record and fine art. He has gone down in history as an artisan who succeeded in being both the official biographer of the Romanovs and a subtle interpreter of Russian literary classics.

Our new photo album features Mihály Zichy’s illustrations for “A Hero of Our Time” – the first social and psychological novel in Russian prose, written by Mikhail Lermontov between 1837 and 1839.

In 2025, the catalogue titled “Mihály Zichy: The Collection of David and Mikhail Iakobachvili" was published. It features unique information about the artist and his works, many of which serve as a valuable source documenting key events of the past.
The online version of the catalogue “Mihály Zichy: The Collection of David and Mikhail Iakobachvili” is available on the museum Collection website