 He tried to work as a freelance portraitist, but received few commissions.In 1811 the Board of the Academy of Arts awarded him the title of Academician for his two works - and "Portrait of K. I. Golovachevsky and the Younger Pupils of the Academy".In 1819, devoting himself purely to art, Venetsianov left the service, bought the village of Safonkovo, and settled there.