Who painted Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed?

Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed was painted by Ivan Nikitich Nikitin in 1725.

Where can I see Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed?

Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed?

Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed

Ivan Nikitich Nikitin , 1725

Portrait of Peter the Great on his Death-Bed is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Ivan Nikitich Nikitin. It dates from 1725 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Ivan Nikitich Nikitin’s 1725 oil painting records the final moments of Russia’s Peter the Great. Executed in the Rococo period, the canvas presents the tsar lying on a modest bed, his head reclined, eyes shut, and a plain sheet draped over his form. The work resides in the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains a key example of early 18th‑century Russian portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on the deceased monarch, emphasizing his vulnerability and the quiet transition from power to mortality. By portraying Peter without regalia or triumphal symbols, the image invites contemplation of his human frailty, contrasting the public image of a vigorous ruler with the intimate reality of his passing.

Technique & Style

Nikitin employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing stark light to illuminate the tsar’s pallid face while deeper shadows recede into the surrounding darkness. This contrast heightens the solemn atmosphere and draws the viewer’s focus to the delicate rendering of flesh and fabric, characteristic of Rococo’s nuanced handling of light and texture.

History & Provenance

Completed shortly after Peter’s death, the painting entered the imperial collection and was later transferred to the State Hermitage Museum. Its presence in the Hermitage reflects the institution’s role in preserving works that document pivotal moments of Russian history and the development of native artistic talent.

Context

Created during a period when Russian art was beginning to assimilate Western techniques, the portrait illustrates the influence of European baroque and Rococo aesthetics on local painters. Nikitin’s background in both portraiture and battle scenes informs the work’s dramatic lighting and compositional restraint, bridging courtly representation with emerging Russian artistic identity.