He was born into a bourgeois family (according to another source, in the family of a poor craftsman[3]). There is practically no information about Zabolotsky's childhood and youth, or his first experiences in fine art.
He was close to the schools of A. G. Venetsianov, Orest Kiprensky and Vasiliy Tropinin.[1]
A. R. Tomilov, a patron of the arts, collector and art theorist, contributed to the artist's creative growth. Thanks to his help, Zabolotsky entered the Imperial Academy of Arts (1825) as an auditor. During his studies, he was awarded two silver medals. Among his teachers were the portraitist Alexander Varnek and the historical painter Alexei Egorov.
The artist was awarded the title of academician in 1857.
Mikhail Lermontov took painting lessons from him in Saint Petersburg. Zabolotsky is the author of two portraits of M. Lermontov painted in oil in 1837 and 1840. Despite the bright, sparkling hussar uniform (full dress uniform) in which Lermontov is depicted, attention is primarily drawn to the general inspiration of his appearance, the lively look of his expressive eyes.
In 1862 he taught drawing at the St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology.
His son was the artist Pyotr Petrovich Zabolotsky.[1]
