Steuben (attrib.) Carl August (von) (1788-1856) "the Czar"

"Peter the Great carpenter at the shipyard of Lijns Teeuwisz Rogge" oil on panel from Dale & Rowney manufacturers in London, unsigned (some pictorial lack) Sun: 17.5 x 14 cm.

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Pierre le Grand or Peter Alexeyevich or Пётр Алексеевич Романов, Piotr Alekseïevitch Romanov, traveled to the Netherlands, where he became an apprentice of a shipbuilder in Zaandam (the house where he stayed is now a museum). For the Tsar, learning naval technology was a crucial aspect for its intention of creating a modern navy and Dutch vessels were considered among the best in the world at the time. The house where Peter lived belonged to Gerrit Kist, a Dutch blacksmith who had worked for a time in Moscow for the Tsar and with whom he had remained on very good terms.

Daler-Rowney’s reputation as a manufacturer of the finest art materials dates back some 230 years. In 1783, the Rowney Company was established when Richard and Thomas Rowney moved to central London and opened premises selling perfumes and wig powder. As the wearing of wigs soon became unfashionable (an event for which George IV was blamed when he discarded his own wig), the Rowneys re-focused their activities and concentrated upon producing artists' colours. They achieved notable success, supplying famous artists such as Constable and Turner. Indeed, Turner was a family friend for whom the company became the appointed official lithographers.