Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, St. Petersburg has always been one of the most important cities in Russia and, for some time, its political capital and currently bears the unofficial title of its ‘cultural capital’. Thanks to the works of Russian draftsman and engraver Mikhail Makhayev (1718-1770), we have a chance to see how it looked centuries ago.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Public domain
Makhayev’s graphic works not only give the viewers an opportunity to see the architecture of the city, but also present a perspective “postcard” look - which was very innovative for his time and created a “presence” effect.
The State Russian Museum
The State Russian Museum
The drawings by Makhayev are not only remarkable on their own accord for their accuracy and picturesqueness, but also because they were used by other artists for large-scale engravings.
The State Russian Museum
The State Russian Museum
Today, his works are exhibited in the State Russian Museum, the Hermitage, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and can even be found in the New York Met’s collection.
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
- Subscribe to our Telegram channel
- Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter
- Enable push notifications on our website
- Install a VPN service on your computer and/or phone to have access to our website, even if it is blocked in your country