FINANCIAL RECORDS OF THE RUSSIAN PAINTERS IN THE 19TH CENTURY

This article considers the facts of the art market in the 19th century and the economic conditions for the work of successful artists working in historical genre. The method of personalization that the research used allowed determining and comparing the welfare of some of the painters in Russia in the 19th century and helped demonstrate the changes of the social position of these artists and their material well-being. In the specified period the artists' revenues were formed from the rate of pay, if an artist staffed, the income from fulfillment of orders and sale of works, fee for teaching students to draw and awards. In the first half of the 19th century the financial success of the artists was based on the so called "artist customer". Customers were made by the Emperor and the members of the Imperial family, state institutions, government officials and representatives of the aristocracy.. In the second half of the 19th century, new relations between an artist and society were formed. Market demand and supply were taken into account and the newly formed relationships were called "artist - market" relationships. Collectors started having great importance for the art market. They were often the representatives of merchants and entrepreneurs. However, despite this, the record prices were achieved thanks to purchases and orders of the Emperor. Examined factors show the changing attitude of the public to artists' work, dependence of financial success on obtaining orders of the Imperial family and aristocrats.