He taught painting classes beginning in 1753 — before the opening of the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1757. Among his students were Anton Losenko, Fyodor Rokotov, Kirill Golovachevsky and Ivan Sablukov — all four future teachers of the Academy.
He was a painter who taught classes before the Imperial Academy of Arts opened in 1757. His students included Anton Losenko, Fyodor Rokotov, Kirill Golovachevsky and Ivan Sablukov — all four of whom later became teachers at the Academy.