The 18th century became the heyday of Russian painting. Russian portrait painting grew up to the level of the paragons of European art. Founders of the portrait genre were A.M. Matveyev and I.N. Nikitin. The former painted Self-Portrait with the Wife and portraits of the Golitsyn spouses. The most well-known works by the latter include the portraits Hetman and Peter I in the Deathbed.

Portrait painting flourished in works by F.S. Rokotov, D. G. Levitsky and V. L. Borovikovsky. F.S. Rokotov gained fame with his paintings Unknown Lady in Pink Dress and Portrait of V. E. Novosiltsova. D. Levitsky created the portraits Kokorinov, and M. A. Dyakova. Borovikovsky is known for his masterpiece portrait of M. I. Lopukhina. 

Historical painting was also successfully developed along with portrait. It was represented by A.P. Losenko, the author of Vladimir and Rogneda, and Hector's Farewell to Andromacha. The artist also worked in the portrait genre.