Dmitry Rovinsky was a Russian lawyer who became famous as an art historian and compiler of reference books on Russian portraits and engravings of the 18th-19th cc. He was an honorary member of the Academy of Science and Academy of Arts.

Dmitry Aleksandrovich Rovinsky was born on 16 (28) August 1824 into the family of a Moscow policeman. After graduating from a law college he started his service in Moscow, taking the posts of a secretary in the Senate, a province solicitor, a deputy chairman of Criminal Court, a province attorney, and chairman of Criminal Department of Judicial Court. From 1870 and till the end of his life he served as the senator of the Criminal Cassation Department.

From the 1840s he took a great interest in collecting engravings, including the luboks. He was the first one to compile and publish fundamental works on the history of Russian gravure and lubok. His historical and bibliographical treatises, abounding in actual data were highly estimated by art critics and still remain important nowadays. Being the publisher of his own works, Dmitry Rovinsky paid a great attention to polygraphic processes (was one of the first who applied the heliograph) and printed books on excellent paper, with superb design, etc. Rovinsky signed away some of his assets to establish prizes for the best illustrated books for common folks, the best research work on art archeology and the best painting (in turn). Rovinsky’s unique collection of etchings and other art works, as well his library were legated to the Hermitage Museum, Rumyantsev’s Museum, the Public Library and the Academy of Arts.

Dmitry Rovinsky died on 23 June 1895 in Bad Wildungen, Germany.