It is believed that Orest Kiprensky was an illegitimate son of
the landowner Alexey Dyakonov and one of his serfs. Orest was
born on the 24th of March, 1782, in the village Koporye, near
St. Petersburg on a grange, owned by his father. He was raised
in the family of Adam Shvalber, a serf. Although Kiprensky was
born a serf, he was released from the bondage upon his birth and
his father helped him to be admitted to the Academy of Arts in
St. Petersburg in 1788. In the Academy of Arts Orest was trained
to become a historical painter, which was considered to be the
highest achievement for an artist. After graduating from the
Academy in 1803, he was left there as a pensioner for three more
years to help him to fulfill the necessary requirements to win
the Major Gold medal. Winning the first prize enabled the young
artist to go abroad to study art in Europe. Orest was to create
a big historical picture to achieved the goal. Prince Dimity
Donskoy after the Kulikov Battle (1805) became the picture, for
which the Aca