Ivan Vishnyakov: The Enigmatic Master of Rococo Ivan Yakovlevich Vishnyakov (Russian: Ива́н Я́ковлевич Вишняко́в; 1699, in Moscow – 1761, in Saint Petersburg) was a Russian portrait painter and muralist in the Rococo style. He remains an artist shrouded in mystery, whose legacy is marked by a remarkable output of monumental paintings alongside a relatively small number of portraits—a paradox that has captivated art historians for decades. Born into a family of “Imperial Majesty shaternyh Masters,” Jacob Vishnjakova, Ivan’s early life was unremarkable until his apprenticeship with Louis Cara…