Early Life and Artistic Foundations Dmitry Grigoryevich Levitsky, born in Kyiv in 1735, emerged from a family deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of Ukraine. His father, Grigory Kirillovich Levitsky-Nos, was not merely a priest but also an accomplished engraver and painter, serving as young Dmitry’s initial guide into the world of visual expression. This early tutelage laid a crucial foundation, instilling in him a reverence for detail and a nascent understanding of form. The family's move to St. Petersburg around 1758 marked a pivotal moment, opening doors to formal artistic training u…