Ivan Aivazovsky

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was a Russian Romantic painter. He is considered one of the greatest marine artists in history. Baptized as Hovhannes Aivazian, Aivazovsky was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia and was mostly based in his native Crimea.

Ivan Aivazovsky was born onJuly 1817 in the city of Feodosia, Crimea, Russian Empire. In the baptismal records of the local St. Sargis Armenian Church, Aivazovsky was listed as Hovhannes, the son of Gevorg Aivazian . During his study at the Imperial Academy of Arts, he was known in Russian as Ivan Gaivazovsky . He became known as Aivazovsky since c.1840 , while in Italy. He signed a 1844 letter with the italianized version of his name Giovani Aivazovsky.

Source: Wikipedia