Karl
Fedorovich Gong

(1831.13.XI – 1877.28.I) was Born in the family of Karl Friedrich gunya, Estonian teacher, organist and Verger.

He studied at the Riga Cathedral school. In 1850 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he studied at the Academy of fine arts (1852 – 61). For the thesis "Sophia the daughter of Vitauta at the wedding of Vasily the Dark" received a gold medal and a scholarship for six years. In 1863 he went to Europe, where he visited Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain and England, in 1871, lived in the North of France in Normandy and Brussels.

K. J. V. gun participated in exhibitions since their student journeys, as had regularly sent their works to the contests. He got a large and small gold and silver medals of the Academy in 1855, 1858, 1859, 1860 and 1861. He also received the title of academician and Professor. In 1865 – 70, the artist participated in the exhibitions of the Paris Salon.

In 1871, he returned to Russia, his work was exhibited in 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, the exhibition of the Wanderers. Memorable exhibitions are organized in Riga was organized in 1950 and 1980, and in Madliena – in 1980.

The artist worked at the St. Petersburg Academy of arts (1871 – 76), was the head of the historical and portrait class.

In most of the K. J. V. gun worked in technique of oil and watercolor. Favorite subjects are historical events, portraits, landscapes and types of people.

19 Dec 1830 (Sinsegae Livonia lips.) - 28 Jan 1877 (Davos, Switzerland)

Painter, watercolorist, draftsman, studied etching. Genre painter, historical painter, landscape painter, portraitist, he also worked in the field of religious and monumental painting.

He received his General education at the Riga Cathedral school. Arriving in 1850 in Saint Petersburg, he entered the drawing to the Pappe and lithographer at the same time he began to attend evening classes at the Academy of fine Arts. Two years later was admitted to the students at the Academy. His main mentor there was Professor P. V. basin . During the passage of the academic year received medals: in 1855 - 2 and 1 silver; 1857 - 2 silver; 1858 - 2 and 1 silver for excellence in drawing and painting and a small gold medal for writing, in 1860, by competition, picture: ""Olympics"". In 1861 he received the title of class artist 1-th article and a gold medal for the program: ""the Grand Duchess Sophia Vitovtovna at the wedding of Vasily the Dark"". Shortly after went to the city of Elabuga for the execution of images for the iconostasis of the Church of the intercession there, and there, in addition to these images, wrote a lot of sketches, folk life. In 1863 he went abroad as a pensioner of the Academy. Visiting Leipzig, Dresden, Prague and Munich, he settled in Paris and for the first time engaged in writing and execution of the work: ""Edith Swan-neck finds on the battle of Hastings the body of her lover Harald"", remained unfinished, portraits (portrait of the writer Markevich) and some other works. In 1868, at the Paris salon was his picture: ""the Eve of St. Bartholomew,"", drew the attention. Being then sent to St. Petersburg, she brought the artist the title of academician and was purchased by the Emperor, then Heir to the crown Prince. Excellent copy of this painting, done in watercolor, is in the Museum of the Academy. Returning again to Paris, wrote of the work: ""Kids and kittens"", ""sickly child"", ""Gypsy catches a tambourine thrown in her coin,"", ""Head of a medieval knight"" and ""Italian flowers"". Over the last Academy elevated him to the rank of Professor. On his return in 1872 to Russia, he was elected a member of the Council of the Academy and appointed Professor-the teacher in her. In the same year made a trip into Russia. In St. Petersburg they finished some work started abroad, and painted portraits of the former Director of the naval school, Rimsky-Korsakov (for the school), Mrs. Soldatenkova born Philipson, and Princess Bariatinsky ; ceiling on the main staircase Anichkova Palace (Departing Night and appears to the Aurora); the image of the Holy Anna the Prophetess and the Annunciation, for the Empress; ""the sermon on the mount and the appearance of the resurrected Christ to Mary Magdalene Holy"" for the Orthodox Church, built by count von Derviz in Lugano, and some others. In 1874 the gun was showing signs of tuberculosis, and, on the advice of doctors, he went to foreign lands to seek refuge from the disease in the climate, more fertile than St. Petersburg. But this measure was in vain: the fatal illness soon brought the artist to the grave. He died in Davos (Switzerland). The modes have to be considered one of the best painters of the Russian school. He was not endowed with a particularly passionate and resourceful imagination, but he had remarkable powers of observation, knew the pattern and was distinguished by a strong and harmonious flavor.