Portrait of Ivan A. (Johann Georg) von Lieven (1775-1848)

The subject, Johann Georg von Lieven, is portrayed with a serious expression, reflecting his role as a military figure who served during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. The formal attire and composition emphasize his professional stature.

Dawe employed characteristic British Romanticism techniques, utilizing strong contrasts of light and shadow to add depth and dimension to the subject. The dark, mottled background further emphasizes the sitter’s figure and adornments.

Created during Dawe’s productive period in Saint Petersburg, where he was favored by Russian cultural elites, the portrait is one of hundreds of military commissions he undertook for the Winter Palace. It is currently part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection.

This work is contextualized within Dawe’s broader oeuvre of military portraits, reflecting the artistic patronage of the Russian aristocracy and military during the early 19th century.

As part of Dawe’s extensive contributions to portrait painting in the Romantic style, the portrait contributes to the historical and artistic record of early 19th-century European military personnel and their patronage of the arts.