The oil on canvas Portrait of Dmitri Mendeleev was painted by Ivan Kramskoi in 1878. The work presents the Russian chemist Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, best known for formulating the Periodic Law and creating a farsighted version of the periodic table of elements. Executed during the mature period of Kramskoi’s career, the portrait reflects the artist’s focus on psychological depth and realism in his depictions of prominent figures of Russian society. Mendeleev is shown seated against a dark, neutral background, his body turned slightly to the side while his gaze meets the viewer directly.

He wears a loose, grey garment, and his long hair and beard are rendered with attention to texture and naturalism. The composition is restrained, with the sitter’s hands resting in his lap, one hand holding a small object. The subdued palette and soft, diffused lighting emphasize the thoughtful expression and intellectual character of the subject. The painting is held in the D.

I. Mendeleev Museum-Archive at Saint Petersburg State University. It remains a significant example of Kramskoi’s portraiture, which often featured leading cultural and scientific figures of nineteenth-century Russia.

The work is dated 1878 in the artist’s hand at the lower right.