George Dow, born on February 6, 1781, and died on October 15, 1829, was an English portraitist known for his 329 portraits of Russian generals for the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace. These works were created during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. In 1819, Dow moved to St. Petersburg, where his talent was highly regarded in artistic circles. Alexander Pushkin dedicated a complimentary poem to him.

George was the son of Philip Dow, a successful mezzotint engraver who also created political caricatures related to the Boston Tea Party. Initially, George trained under his father and quickly became a skilled engraver. Later, he became interested in painting and continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Arts, where he received a gold medal in 1803. In 1809, he was elected a corresponding member of the Royal Academy, and in 1814, he became an academician. Dow collected paintings by old masters and studied languages, philosophy, and literature. He also studied anatomy, conducting dissections and attending surgeries to better understand the human form.

In 1819, Dow traveled across Europe with the Duke of Kent. His portraits of military and diplomatic figures caught the attention of Alexander I, who commissioned him to create portraits of Russian soldiers fighting against Napoleon. Dow moved to Petersburg and from 1822 to 1828 created over 300 portraits for the Winter Palace. His assistants were Alexander Polyakov and Wilhelm August Golike. Dow became a celebrity in Europe and maintained connections with the Russian intellectual elite. Among his acquaintances was Pushkin, who wrote the poem "To Mr. Dow." In 1826, Nicholas I invited him to the coronation, and in 1828, Dow became the First Portraitist of the Imperial Court.

In 1828, Dow returned to England, where he spent several months exhibiting his latest works. Among the audience was George IV. In 1829, Dow returned to St. Petersburg, but soon his health deteriorated due to pulmonary weakness left over from a childhood illness. In August 1829, he returned to London and died on October 15 at the home of his son-in-law Thomas Wright, a well-known engraver. Dow was buried in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, with many artists and representatives of the Russian embassy attending his funeral.

Most of Dow's works created in Russia are kept in the Military Gallery of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Many of his paintings are also part of the British Royal Collection. Although he enjoyed international fame during his lifetime, his popularity in England proved short-lived. In Russia, however, his name remains well-known and respected.