Alexey Saltykov (1806–1859)

Prince Aleksei Dmitrievich Saltykov
Prince Alexis Soltikoff
Born	1806 St. Petersburg, Russian Empire
Died	1859 Paris, France
Nationality	Russian
Known for	Artist, Traveller
Notable work	"Lettres sur L’Inde," "Drawings on the Spot"

Prince Aleksei Dmitrievich Saltykov (1806–1859) was a Russian diplomat, artist and traveller in Iran and India. He was the grandson of Prince Nikolay Saltykov.

Prince Alexis Soltikoff (as the family name was spelled in his own time) was born in St. Petersburg on 1 February 1806 to Prince Dmitri Nikolaevich Saltykov (1767–1826) and Anna Nikolaevna Leontieva (1776–1810) and had three older brothers (the princes Ivan (1797–1832), Petr (ca. 1804–1889) and Vladimir (ca. 1799–1835) and an older sister Princess Mariya (1795–1823). The Soltykov name was one of the more esteemed in Russia.

Alexis's father Dmitri had two brothers (no sisters): Aleksandr (1775–1837) and Sergei (1776–1828). The three boys were the son of the famous General Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov (31 October 1736 – 24 March 1816) and Natalya Vladimirovna Dolgorukaya (1737–1812).

Alexis's early days are somewhat of a mystery. He grew up in St Petersburg and at the age of eighteen joined the diplomatic services with the Russian State Board (Collegium) for Foreign Affairs in Moscow. By the age of 23 he was with the Russian Foreign Service, first in Constantinople, then in Athens, later in London, Florence, Rome, and Teheran.^[1] In 1840 Alexis retired and moved to Paris where he planned his voyages to India. He ended up making two voyages there (1841–43 and 1844–46), and achieving the sobriquet 'The Indian' from the Russian and French aristocracy. In 1849 he published a selection of his letters in French accompanied by his drawings, which became very well known in Europe "Lettres sur L’Inde". Paris, 1848).^[2] In 1851 the book was translated into Russian and became an instant success: it truly enraptured the Russian reading public.^[3] The drawings were published separately in London in 1859 as "Drawings on the Spot".

Died in Paris, 23 March 1859 of heart disease. He is buried under the altar of the Church on his family estate in the village of Snegirevo, Vladimir Oblast, Russia.

Voyages dans l'Inde et en Perse.publishe by V. Lecou, 1853.^[4]

The 11th century Gloucester Candlestick was obtained by the V & A from (a) Prince Soltikoff in 1861^[5] and the John Grandisson Triptych which is now in the British Museum was also once part of the Saltykov collection.^[6]

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  Abdul Hasan Khan's embassy arriving in Saint Petersburg in 1815, sketched by a young Saltykov, who was inspired to travel to the East.
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  Abdul Hasan Khan, was painted by Maxim Gauci during his second mission to London in 1819. He is dressed as he would have appeared in 1815.
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  His friend Hadji-Mohammed, a Persian merchant resident of Russia for at least thirty years, reinforced his ambition.
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  Saltykov's portrait of the Shahs second son, Abbas Mirza II.
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  Prominent members of the royal court of Persia.
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  Saltykov sketching Mohammad Shah Qajar, the Shah of Persia, in Tehran in 1838
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  The finished sketch of the Shah.
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  He also sketched the heir to the throne, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.

• 
  Saltykov attends a dramatic Ballet, performed by Malabars in a wood, near Colombo, April, 1841.
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  Saltykov witnessing an elephant hunt in Sri Lanka
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  He visits the Ramanathaswamy Temple.
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  A visit to Condjeveram (Kanchipuram), 40 miles from Madras, June 1841.
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  Soltykov attending a company ball in Calcutta for the Festival of the Goddess Durga.
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  Saltykov travelling by litter over the Punjab Plain.
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  A cavalcade of Sikhs.
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  Sikh Chieftains..
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  He sketches Sher Singh near Amritsar in March 1842.
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  Saltykov buying weapons in Delhi.
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  His house on Jakhu Hill, Shimla at the far left, as sketched by Mrs. W.L.L. Scott.
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  A Saltykov portrait of the Maharaja of Gwalior.
• 
  The full Court of Gwailor, published in The Illustrated Times, after a Saltykov sketch.

• Media related to Alexey Saltykov at Wikimedia Commons