Jan Rustem

January Rustem ( Lithuanian Jonas Rustemas, Armenian Յան Ռուստամ, * 1762 in Istanbul, † June 21, 1835 in Puszki at Dūkštas ) was a portrait painter of Armenian, Turkish or Greek origin in Poland and professor at the Vilnius University.

He came to Poland as a ten year old orphan at the invitation of General Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski. He studied painting in Warsaw with Jean -Pierre de la Norblin Gourdaine, and later with Marcello Bacciarelli. 1788 to 1790 he spent in Germany, where he was accepted into a Masonic Lodge. Then he came to Lithuania in 1794 to Warsaw, in 1798 he settled permanently in Lithuania, some years earlier part of the Polish-Lithuanian Union.

He became an assistant to Franciszek Smuglewicz the Painting Department of the Vilnius University. In 1811 he became an associate professor of drawing, 1819 for Painting, 1821 he was appointed a full professor. In 1826 he went into retirement, but until 1831 he taught continue painting. Among his students, among others belonged Taras Shevchenko.

In 1812 he was appointed councilor in 1818 for Kollegialrat. He was also active in Lithuanian Masonic lodges.

He dealt mainly with portraiture, created numerous self-portraits. He also painted landscapes, mythological and historical scenes, designed sets and costumes for the theater Vilna.