[Frontispice; Titelblatt]

1758–1762

Travels in Finland, Lithuania, and Siberia

During his five years in Russia he traveled through Finland, Lithuania, and Siberia (according to some scholars, only as far as Kazan); on the empress's instructions he made sketches of "Russian types."

May 1762

Departure from Russia

He left Russia in May 1762, visiting Livonia on the way.

December 1763

Return to Paris with Russian Drawings

He returned to Paris in December 1763 with an extensive collection of drawings, which he used as the basis for paintings and prints on Russian themes.

1765

The "Russian Series" at the Salon of 1765

He presented fifteen paintings of scenes from Russian village life at the Salon of 1765, including The Russian Baptism, which earned Diderot's enthusiastic praise, and The Cradle, which he repeated many times.