Russian painter, watercolorist and lithographer, of serfs. He studied at the Academy of arts (Academy of arts from 1831). Received in 1833 and 1834 for the drawings from nature small silver medals in 1835 - the title of a free artist, in 1831, studied under A. G. Venetsianov, as well as a lithograph in A. Santamari. In 1831-47 he is a pensioner of the society. In 1839 OH awarded the title of "appointed" in 1857 - academician. Author of portraits of Miniatur lithographed portraits. Solo exhibition of works by E. P. Zhitneva took place in Petrograd in 1917. His works are in major museums of Russia. He taught at the Catherine Institute in St Petersburg (late. The 1850s).