Rafail Levitsky

Biography

Rafail Sergeevich Levitsky was born in 1847 in Saint Petersburg. He was a Russian artist of the post-Nicholas era who worked in major cultural centers such as Saint Petersburg and Moscow. In addition to his creative work, Levitsky was engaged in teaching. He was the son of the well-known photographer Sergey Levitsky, which influenced his interests to include both historical painting and photography. Levitsky had familial ties with prominent cultural figures—the Polenov and Olsufiev families—and maintained friendly relations with the artist Ilya Repin. Within the artistic community, he was a member of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, indicating his active participation in the development of the arts at that time. His work encompassed genres of historical painting and photography, reflecting his diverse artistic activity within the Russian Empire.