André Durand studied painting and drawing in Rouen. In 1839, he travelled extensively in Russia with Prince A. N. Demidov and drew a large quantity of views of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Kazan and other areas. From these drawings, a large album of lithographs Excursion pittoresque et archéologique en Russie executé en 1839 was produced. The present group are preparatory drawings for the lithographs which were published in Paris in 1842.