Evgraf Romanovich Reutern Russian-German artist Date of Birth: 17.07.1794 Country: Germany

Biography of Evgraf Romanovich Retern

Evgraf Romanovich Retern was a Russian-German artist born into a noble family in the Ostzea region. He received a general education at the Lutheran Church School of Saints Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg. During his time there, he also attended lectures at the University of Dorpat (now Tartu) before enlisting in the military in 1811.

In 1813-1815, Retern served as a lieutenant in the cavalry and participated in the Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. It was during the Battle of Nations near Leipzig that he lost his right arm. Despite this severe injury, Retern recovered and settled in Willingshausen in 1820.

In 1814, while in Weimar, Retern had the opportunity to meet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Their acquaintance continued in 1815 in Heidelberg and in 1817 in Jena, leading to a correspondence between them. Goethe recognized Retern's talent as an artist and encouraged him to pursue painting seriously.

In 1825, along with Ludwig Grimm (brother of the renowned philologists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm), Retern co-founded the "Willingshausen Colony of Artists." Initially, he worked as a self-taught artist before studying painting in Bern, Kassel, and Düsseldorf. His primary focus was on genre paintings.

In 1837, Retern became a court artist of the Russian imperial court, receiving an honorary pension. He gained recognition for his biblical-themed paintings, with his canvas "Abraham Sacrificing Isaac" (1849) being particularly successful. Retern alternated between living in Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Russia, regularly visiting his estate in Lifland and St. Petersburg. From 1844 onwards, he settled permanently in Frankfurt-on-the-Main.

Despite being right-handed, Retern adapted to working with his left hand after his injury. He had a close friendship with Vasily Zhukovsky, who married his daughter Elizaveta in 1841. His granddaughter, Alexandra Vasilyevna Zhukovskaya, would later become the morganatic wife of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich.

Retern's son, Alexander Retern, achieved the rank of Lieutenant General and served as the governor of Taurida Governorate. His brother, Khristofor, distinguished himself in the Napoleonic Wars and later commanded cavalry divisions. His nephew, Mikhail, became the Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire.