Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts an unidentified woman in court dress, based on a portrait of Princess Anastasia Dolgorukaya, née Lodyzhenskaya.

The painting depicts an unidentified woman in court dress, based on a portrait of Princess Anastasia Dolgorukaya, née Lodyzhenskaya. The figure is adorned with a breast badge featuring a miniature of Elizabeth I of Russia set with diamonds, elements that signify high status and royal affiliation within the Russian court. The work's connection to a mid-18th-century aristocratic likeness situates it within the world of the Russian imperial court.

These iconographic details, including the specific jewelry and attire, serve to represent the wealth, power, and ceremonial role associated with the imperial hierarchy.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 83 × 61 cm, produced in Russia in 1750. Executed in oil paint, it belongs to the portrait genre and portrays a woman in court dress, highlighted by a breast badge with miniature and diamond motifs. The composition emphasizes fine detailing of these ornamental elements, reflecting the decorative sensibilities of mid-18th-century Russian aristocratic portraiture.

Its formal qualities derive from a close study of courtly iconography, as indicated by its basis on the portrait of Princess Anastasia Dolgorukaya.

History & Provenance

Created in 1750, the oil-on-canvas Portrait of a Woman was produced in Russia by an anonymous artist. The work depicts an unidentified woman in court dress, based on a likeness of Princess Anastasia Dolgorukaya, née Lodyzhenskaya (1736–1828), and wearing a breast badge featuring a diamond-set miniature of Elizabeth I of Russia. Since 1922 the painting has been held in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, where it is inventoried as ЭРЖ-1079 and measures 83 cm in height by 61 cm in width. It was included in the Hermitage's 2019 exhibition Jewels! The Glitter of the Russian Court.

Overview

This oil painting, titled Portrait of a Woman, presents a single female figure against a subdued, dark backdrop. The artist employs a focused illumination to draw attention to the sitter's face and hands, which emerge from the shadows. Her attire suggests a degree of social standing, characterized by its detailed craftsmanship and refined presentation, contributing to an overall impression of understated elegance.