Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an unspecified painting by the Russian Icon artist Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenyov. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting Portrait of a Woman, created by Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenyov in 1830, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The painting Portrait of a Woman, created by Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenyov in 1830, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work measures 72 cm in height and 57 cm in width, depicts a female subject, and is classified as a portrait. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the museum is documented as its current location. No specific provenance, commission details, or exhibition history are recorded in the provided sources.
Overview
Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenyov, an academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts, painted this Portrait of a Woman in 1830. This small, oval work depicts an unidentified female sitter, presented with a formal yet intimate quality. It is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, representing a facet of Russian portraiture from the early 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, an unknown woman, is depicted with dark, curled hair and a distinctive crown-like headpiece, suggesting a person of some standing. Her high-necked white dress and fur shawl convey a sense of refinement. The artist's focus on her face and the subtle gleam of her earrings draws attention to her features, inviting contemplation of her identity and social position.
Technique & Style
Terebenyov rendered the portrait with soft shading, particularly evident in the gentle contours of the woman's cheek. The plain background ensures that attention remains solely on the sitter. The artist employed a technique that emphasizes light and shadow to model her features, creating a sense of depth and form, characteristic of portraiture from this period, and highlighting details like her earrings.
Context
As an academician, Terebenyov worked within the established artistic practices of his time. While a secular portrait, the work's direct presentation and singular focus on the sitter's face, against an unadorned background, may subtly echo certain formal qualities found in the Russian icon tradition, emphasizing the subject's presence and dignity within a formal composition.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenyov (Russian: Михаи́л Ива́нович Теребенёв; 6 September 1795 – 25 December 1864) was a Russian portrait painter, academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
