Vasily Kuzmich Shebuyev's activities as an example of financial success in Russian art of the first half of the XIX century

The article is about the results devoted to the research of economic activity of the Russian artist Vasily Kuzmich Shebuyev (1777-1855). During the Soviet era the history of Fine Art practically ignored the economic side of artists' lives because of ideological reasons. But the interest to this aspect is reviving nowadays owing to regeneration of market economy and art market. The master's wellbeing is considered in comparison with the facts of the activity of his colleagues-artists such as I.A. Akimov, A.I. Ivanov, A.E. Egorov. V.K. Shebuyev's income was formed from: - the salaries received on service in Academy of Arts (1807-1855) - 179-1000 rub in silver, as a director of the Imperial Tapestry Manufactory in (1821-1838) - 395-408 rub silver, as a teacher of drawing at grand dukes (1810-1819), as a teacher of drawing at educational institutions (1812-1820), as an associate director of manufactory (1812-1821) and as a Supervisor of Paintings for Saint Isaac's Cathedral in (1841-1855); - the income from implementation of orders and sale of works , among them the most profitable were a plafond "Coronation of the Mother of God" in a dome of Kazan Cathedral - 10080 rub in silver and the creation of the church dome at Tsarskoye Selo - 11925 rub in silver. More than 100 icons and paintings of historical subjects were created by the artist. The canvas "A Feat of the Merchany Igolkin from Novgorod in the Northern War against the Swedes" was one of the most famous - 2860 rub in silver; - the pension granted since 1820 for teaching drawing to grand dukes - 263-286 rub in silver and a salary for a rank of "the court painter relating to the Hermitage" and a rank of the valid State Councilor (the IV class) since 1824 - 928-1001 rub in silver; - artist's awards in connection with age of majority and the end of educational training of grand dukes and graduations from educational institutions as well. It is said about getting 16 diamond rings and a golden snuffbox. The results of the research are shown in the table "the artist's income". The main part of it was brought in by art activity; in particular, the paid orders for plafonds painting were extremely profitable. However, receiving these, often very favorable, orders happened thanks to proximity of the artist to the yard of the emperor. The numerous positions held by the master and bringing in the significant income were also received by favor of patrons and caused very high social and financial position for the artist.

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