Alexei Alexeievich Harlamoff (1840–1925) was a Russian painter.
Harlamoff paintings are signed "Harlamoff", which may be a translation he learned while studying in Paris. This does not translate into the Russian language from English. One transliteration into English would be "Aleksei Alekseevich Kharlamov".
Alexei Harlamoff was born into a family of serfs on 18 October in the village of Dyachevka near Saratov on the river Volga. In 1850 Harlamoff’s parents win their freedom. Harlamoff becomes a guest student in 1854 at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Three years later he was awarded a second class silver medal for a drawing. In 1862 Harlamoff was awarded a second class silver medal for a sketch, and he is enrolled with the history painter Alexei T. Markov.
1863 - Harlamoff is awarded again a first class silver medal for a drawing and a first class silver medal for a sketch.
1865 - Harlamoff presents his large scale painting Ananias before the Apostles, but he fails to win the competition for a second class gold medal.
1866 - Harlamoff is awarded a second class gold medal for his painting Baptizing of the Kiever.
1868 - Harlamoff completes his studies, he wins a first class gold medal for his Return of the Prodigal Son, and he is granted a scholarship abroad.
1869 - Harlamoff endowed with a scholarship from the Imperial Academy of Arts travels to Paris crossing Germany.
1870 - Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna buys a painting by Harlamoff. In April he sends his first letter to St. Petersburg. The fall of September and October he spends together with A. Bogoliubov, C. Huhn, and A. Lavezzari in Normandy and Southern Netherlands. He travels to Brussels and to London where he visits an exhibition of Old Masters. In November the Academy of Arts commissions him to copy Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp. Harlamoff stays in The Hague.
1871 - From spring 1871 to fall 1872 Harlamoff copies The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp in a drawing and in oil. During the summer of 1871 he returns to Normandy. In November 1872 the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg pays him 1,500 Rubels for the copy after Rembrandt.
1872 - Harlamoff makes Leon Bonnat’s acquaintance, and he visits Bonnat’s independent studio. Harlamoff is awarded a bronze medal at the Vienna Universal Exhibition. The conference secretary of the Academy of Arts, Peter F. Iseyev, rejects Bogoliubov’s request to grant Harlamoff a professorship. Bogoliubov reports in December to the council of the Imperial Academy of Arts on Harlamoff’s visible success under the guidance of Bonnat.
1874 - Harlamoff lives at rue Fontaine, 42. He takes part in the spring exhibition of the Imperial Academy of Arts. The portrait of the engraver Pozhalostin wins him the title of art academy member. From April onwards Harlamoff joins the drawing-evenings at Bogoliubov in rue de Rome, 95. Ivan S. Turgenev mentions Harlamoff for the first time in a letter. Bogoliubov, the Parisian art dealer Goupil and the Muscovite collector Dimitri P. Botkin purchase paintings by Harlamoff. Harlamoff socializes with Turgenev and other Russian artists in Paris. He is frequently invited for dinner to Louis Viardot and Pauline Viardot-Garcia in rue Douai 50 where Turgenev occupies the top floor. In June Harlamoff portrays tsar Alexander II. in Bad Ems. He possibly summers in Spain. Then he travels to Veules-les-Roses and Etretat. In October Turgenev notes that Harlamoff has completed the portrait of Pauline Viardot, for which he is remunerated 3.000 FFR, this leading to an increase of his fees for a portrait up to 10.000 FFR (approx. 3.000 Rubels).
1875 - In January Harlamoff completes the portrait of Elena Tretyakova showing her in an eveningdress. He starts a portrait of Turgenev, which he finishes in December. During this period he also accepts other commissions. The month of March he possibly spends in Spain. In May he exhibits at the Salon where the portraits of Pauline Viardot-Garcia and Louis Viardot draw the attention of the Parisian press. Harlamoff moves into the studio of the late Isidore Pils at Place Pigalle 11. He gains popularity with British art dealers. At New Years and beginning of 1876 he visits Russia.
1876 - The young soprano singer Felia Litvinne arrives from St. Petersburg. She starts taking lessons with Pauline Viardot-Garcia. Turgenev purchases directly from Bogoliubov a painting by Harlamoff called Gipsy Girl. Harlamoff joins the Society for Art Exhibitions at the Imperial Academy of Arts. In May he exhibits at the Salon the portraits of Turgenev and Alphonse Daudet.
1877 - Harlamoff and Turgenev visit the Imperial Academy of Arts in late May and beginning of June. Turgenev commissions Harlamoff to portrait the bibliophile collector Alexandre F. Onegin (Otto). On 28 November (10 December) Harlamoff becomes a founding member of the Association of Russian Artists for the Mutual Support and Benefaction Abroad (President: the Russian minister in Paris Prince Nikolai A. Orlov, chairman: Bogoliubov, Secretary:Turgenev, purser: the banker Horace Guinzbourg).
1878 - Harlamoff exhibits simultaneously his paintings at the Salon and at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. He is awarded a second class medal for his portrait of Alexander F. Onegin.
1879 - Peter F. Iseyev asks Harlamoff to collaborate decorating the cathedral of the redeemer in Moscow. Harlamoff is invited to exhibit at the elitist „Cercle de l’Union artistique („Club des Mirlitons“). He travels to Spain. For the first time Harlamoff participates with his paintings as visiting exhibitor at the Itinerant Art Exhibition in Russia. Ivan Kramskoi emphasises the importance for Harlamoff switching from the Society for Art Exhibitions at the Imperial Academy of Arts to the Association of the Itinerant Art Exhibitions. Harlamoff portraits the prominent Russian publisher Andrei A. Krayevsky during his sojourn at Biarritz.
1880 - Harlamoff is accepted full member of the Association of Itinerant Art Exhibitions.
1881 - 1882 - Harlamoff shows this year three paintings at the All-Russian-Exhibition in Moscow. In Paris Galerie Georges Petit plans but does not implement an exhibition of Russian artists including Harlamoff.
1883 - Turgenev dies. Harlamoff is commissioned to portray Paul P. Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, and his family. He travels to Florence.
1885 - Harlamoff supports Bogoliubov’s plan to found a museum in Saratov bestowing to him a painting Italian Girl with a Lizard. Harlamoff participates at the V. Exhibition of the Association of Watercolour Artists in St. Petersburg.
1886 - Sergei M. Tretyakov recommends to his brother Pavel to purchase for his gallery in Moscow Harlamoff’s Girl Laughing.
1888 - Bogoliubov suggests to Vladimir Stasov to exhibit Harlamoff’s portrait of Turgenev at an Itinerant Art Exhibitions. Harlamoff participates at the International Exhibition in Glasgow, where Queen Victoria is attracted by his paintings.
1889 - Harlamoff becomes part of the organizing committee of the Universal Exhibition in Paris where he shows that year eleven paintings.
1891 - Harlamoff organizes the 50-year jubilee of Bogoliubov’s activity. At the 19th Itinerant Art Exhibition in St. Petersburg the tsarina Maria Fedorovna purchases a Portrait of a Young Girl by Harlamoff.
1896 - After Bogoliubov’s death Harlamoff is nominated chairman of the Association of Russian Artists for the Mutual Support and Benefaction with seat in Paris.
1900 - Harlamoff is appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. He exhibits at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. After a pause of eight years he participates again at the Itinerant Art Exhibition.
1902 - Harlamoff is awarded the medal of St. Vladimir (4th Class).
1903 - Harlamoff spends spring and summer in Italy and Switzerland.
1909 - Harlamoff moves to his new studio, boulevard Rochechouart, 57bis.
1911 - 1914 - Harlamoff participates at exhibitions with Galerie Lemercier in Moscow.
1922 - Felia Litvinne shows in her salon in Paris the works of Harlamoff.
1925 - Harlamoff dies on 10 April in his studio, boulevard Rochechouart, 57bis. Felia Litvinne is his sole heir.
