Savinkov, Alexsander Dmitrievich

Alexsandr Dmitrievich Savinkov (1767 - c. 1849) was a Russian cartographer and engraver active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Little is known of his early life and education, but was born into a military family and joined the Geographical Department of the Tzar's Cabinet in 1787. There he mastered engraving under K. F. Forlov. He engraved six of the 44 maps in the 1792 Russian Atlas. He was recommended for elevation to master engraver in 1797, along with fellow engravers K. Ushakov, T. Mikhailov, and A Belousov. In the following year, 1798, Savinkov was transferred to the Map Depot where he became involved in several national mapping projections. He remained with the map depot until 1811, engraving several atlas maps (1802), a plan of St. Petersburg (1804), a postal map of the Russian Empire (1804), and atlas (1807) and a large-scale general map of the empire (1809). Throughout 1811, he severed as Commissioner of the Provisions Service, beginning his mos prolific period as a map publisher and engraver. In March of 1812, he became a member Tzar Alexander I's retinue in the quartermaster's unit, where he remained until 1818. At this time, he transferred to the Marine Printer, where he produced multiple maps until 1822. At this time, he retired with the rank of Court Councilor. While he officially retired, at just 55, he continued to publish maps for the subsequent 20 years, with his last known map being a plan of St. Petersburg, 1841. He lived at 51 Basseynaya, and had estate in Vyshnevolotsk District, where he maintained 17 serfs.