Alexander Alexandrovich Kiselev (1838, 1911) was a renowned Russian landscape painter who actively participated in the Society of Traveling Art Exhibitions. He was an academician and a full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts.

Kiselev was born in Sveaborg, now an administrative district of Helsinki, and was raised in the Arakcheev Cadet Corps, and later in the 2nd Saint Petersburg Cadet Corps. Not completing his studies, in 1858 he enrolled in the historical and philological faculty of the Imperial Saint Petersburg University. After the university was closed in 1861 due to student unrest, Kiselev became a free student at the Imperial Academy of Arts, where in 1862 he was admitted as a pupil and studied under S. M. Vorobyov. For his painting "View in Novgorod Province," he received a large silver medal.

In 1864, Kiselev became a member of the Artists' Artel, led by V. M. Maksimov. In 1865, he participated for the first time in the Academic Exhibition with the landscape "View from the Surroundings of Moscow," which was well received by the public. That same year, he graduated from the Academy of Arts with the title of class artist of the 3rd degree.

After that, Kiselev moved to Kharkov, where he worked as a secretary for the Land Bank, which provided his family with a stable income and allowed him to engage in painting. During this period, he created works such as "Near Kharkov" (1866) and "Svyatogorsk Monastery on the Donets" (1870).

In 1875, Kiselev sent the painting "View in the Surroundings of Kharkov" to the Society of Wanderers, and in 1876 he became a member. In 1877, he moved to Moscow, where he continued to paint landscapes and began teaching. Among his students were I. S. Ostroukhov and M. A. Mamontov.

Since 1878, Kiselev kept a diary where he recorded events in the cultural life of Moscow and Petersburg. In the summer of 1891, he befriended Anton Chekhov while living at the Bogimovo estate.

In 1890, Kiselev became the head of the fine arts department of the magazine "Artist" and received the title of academician. In 1893, he became a full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts and headed the art department of the magazine.

In 1895, Kiselev moved to Petersburg to work as an inspector of classes at the Higher Art School. In 1897, he became the head of the landscape workshop, succeeding A. I. Kuindzhi.

In 1906, Kiselev became one of the founders of the Northern Circle of Lovers of Fine Arts in Vologda and participated in organizing the Society of Siberian Traveling Art Exhibitions in Petersburg. He also worked on the interior design of the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church in Sofia.

In 1902, Kiselev built a house in Tuapse, inspired by the beauty of the local landscapes. This is now a house-museum. The cliff between Cape Kadosh and the village of Agoy is named in his honor.

Kiselev passed away on January 20 (February 2) 1911 from a heart attack at his writing desk.