Somov A.I., (1830-1909), art historian

Categories / Science. Education/Personalia
SOMOV Andrey Ivanovich (1830, St. Petersburg - 1909, ibid.), art historian, museum worker and collector. He graduated from Larin's gymnasia in St. Petersburg and the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University (1854). Also attended classes of the Drawing School. He taught physics and mathematics until 1859. That year he published the first accessible description of the art galleries of the Hermitage. In 1872-86, he issued a catalogue of the art gallery of the Academy of Arts. From 1863 to 1886, he managed the office of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. In 1883-89, he taught art history at the Higher Women's Courses (Bestuzhev Courses). From 1883 to 1890, Somov edited the Vestnik Izyaschnykh Iskusstv (Fine Arts Herald) journal. In 1878, he was elected a Fellow of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. In 1886, he assumed the post of a chief custodian of the art gallery of the Hermitage; during his tenure, he compiled a scientific catalogue of the gallery (Vol. 1-3, 1889-95) and made a considerable contribution to the evolution of domestic museology and art history. He gathered a notable collection of drawings and china. Somov lived in his own house at 97 Ekaterininsky Canal Embankment (present-day Griboedova Canal Embankment) and was buried at Novodevichye cemetery. His son was an artist, K.A. Somov.

V. V. Antonov. Somov Andrey Ivanovich
Somov Konstantin Andreevich
Griboedova Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 97
State University, St. Petersburg
Hermitage
Russian Academy of Sciences
Bestuzhev's Courses
Vestnik izyashchnykh iskusstv (Fine Arts Reporter), journal
Society for the Encouragement of the Arts
Novodevichye Cemetery