At present the lack of more extensive and clear biographical data provides limited insight into the life of the obviously well-connected and highly skilled miniaturist portrait painter who signed his works И. Жеренъ. It would seem that Ivan Gerin was likely the son of a French born artist by the name of Michel Gerin. Some sources indicate he was already doing portraiture work in the 1780’s. However it is known that in 1808, Ivan Gerin received the rank of Associate in miniature painting from the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy, and in the following year the rank of Academician in miniature and nature painting.

Known works by Ivan Gerin reflect his status amongst the social elite as having been a sought out miniaturist portrait painter of the day. Included among his known clientele were Empress Maria Fedorovna, General-Field-Marshal S. F. Apraksin, Major-General M. E. Khrapovitski, actress N. A. Samoilova, and the famous Russian poet Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol. It is believed that Gerin had two sons, Ivan and Nikolai who followed in their father’s footsteps and were in their own right also accomplished artists. Besides the Hermitage, works by Gerin are held in the collections of the St. Petersburg State Russian Museum and other important museums of Russia.

One can only speculate as to the recipient of this portrait miniature who is addressed on the inscription found on the reverse as Sofia Nikolayevna Treskina. Perhaps the daughter of Nikolai Ivanovich Treskin (1763-1842), the controversial Civil Governor of Irkustk who is known to have fathered eight children including two daughters.