A.N. Olenin. A XIX century copy of the portrait by Varnek.

 Priyutino is one of the most famous places amid the ones connected with life and work of great russian artists. It is situated in Vsevolozhsk - a town near Saint-Petersburg. It was a country-house of Alexey Nikolaevitch Olenin, who was the first chief manager of the National Public Library and the President ofthe Academy of Arts.
It was a good education Olenin has received. He was a collectioner and specialist on remains of ancient greek, roman and russian culture, an artist and an archeologist. He was also a centre of the group of famous writers, poets, artists, actors in the beginning of XIX century. All the members of that group were interested in history, sources of the native culture. They tried to express themselves via the folk art.

The cross of St. John of Jerusalem granted to A.N. Olenin.