Orest Adamovich Kiprensky: Life & Legacy Early Life and Education (1782-1803) Birth and Origins: Orest Adamovich Kiprensky was born on March 24, 1782, in the village of Koporye near Saint Petersburg, Russia. His birth was unconventional; he was an illegitimate son of landowner Alexey Dyakonov. His surname, derived from Kypris (a Greek name for the goddess of love), reflects this origin. Early Upbringing: Kiprensky was raised in the family of Adam Shvalber, a serf. Remarkably, he was freed from serfdom at birth and later received assistance from his father to enter a boarding school at t…