Alexander Ivanovich TYCHAGINE (Russia, 1818-1895). Portrait of a young boy and his Cavalier King Charles (1853). Hard porcelain plate, oval format. Signed and dated lower right in Cyrillic "A. Tychagine 1853". The porcelain is attributed to the St Petersburg Imperial Manufactory. H. 51 x W. 39 cm (when viewed). Framed. History Alexandre Ivanovich Tychaguine came from a family of hereditary craftsmen. In 1826, he entered the school of the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, becoming an apprentice painter in 1830, then journeyman in 1838 and master painter in 1854. His works are exhibited in several Russian museums, including the Hermitage, which houses one of his finest pieces: a rectangular plaque, a copy of Dietrich's painting "The Jewess", and two monumental vases, painted after pictures by A. Kaufman, dated 1864 and 1866. Our plaque, signed by the artist, bears the date 1853, a year before Tychagine became master painter at the Imperial Manufactory in Saint Petersburg. Possibly a competition piece, here he appears to have copied a work by Greuze, the original of which is thought to have been lost. Expert : Maxime CHARRON