Russian Artists at the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Beijing in the 19th Century: Some Research Concerns

In 1830, a Russian painter named Anton M. Legashov (1798–1865) went to Beijing as part of the Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission becoming first professional artist in China. total, four painters visited China being included mission: A. Legashov, K. I. Korsalin, Chmutov, and L. S. Igorev. Beijing, artists were supposed paint portraits commissioned by Chinese thereby establish useful contacts with influential officials; fact, acted diplomatic agents. At same time, they had fulfill task Imperial Academy Arts, St. Petersburg, which instructed them collect visual evidence about life, customs views distant eastern country. Upon arrival China, introduced unique artistic scene late Qing Dynasty, where Chinese, European Occidental art interacted. Thanks that, work acquired very distinctive look. However, nowadays heritage these is practically not studied due several issues connected small number their surviving works, questionable attribution, unclear provenance, insufficient study neighboring phenomena, such export or followers Giuseppe Castiglione other Jesuit at imperial court. The article thus devoted analysis difficulties regarding mission Beijing. identification research concerns will allow further develop methodology for studying painters, whose oeuvre remains noticeable gap history, while history itself Western missionaries have been deeply analyzed both foreign scholars.