Konstantin Egorovic Makovsky (1839 Moscow - 1915 St. Petersburg) A card dealer at a gaming table Finely painted portrait of a lady with cards laid out, probably at a game of chance. Makovsky was one of the most important Russian painters of his time. From 1851-1857 he studied at the Moscow School of Art under the outstanding portrait painters Sarjanko and Tropinin, and from 1858 at the Academy in St Petersburg. The talented painter became a member of the academy in 1867 and a professor in 1869. He also enjoyed great international success at exhibitions in Germany and Paris, winning the gold medal at the World Exhibition in 1889. After initially creating mostly realistic scenes from Russian folk life, he later devoted himself to portraits of the tsarist family and the nobility as well as depictions from Russian history, especially the boyar life of the 17th century; numerous works are owned by the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. Oil on canvas; l. and sign. in Cyrillic; 32.5 cm x 27.5 cm. Frame. Oil on canvas. Signed in Cyrillic.