Artwork
Portrait of Admiral Krusenshtern
Portrait of Admiral Krusenshtern is an oil painting by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. The work is an oil painting portraying a man in a black naval uniform with gold epaulets and medals.
About this work
Overview
The work is an oil painting portraying a man in a black naval uniform with gold epaulets and medals. He holds a rolled map in his left hand and a spyglass in his right, set against a sky mottled with clouds and a watery horizon that includes a ship’s mast and sail.
Subject & Meaning
The figure’s dress and accessories identify him as a naval officer, likely an admiral, emphasizing his command role. The map and spyglass reinforce themes of navigation, strategy, and maritime authority, while the formal stance conveys a dignified presence.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting combines detailed rendering of the uniform and insignia with a looser treatment of the background elements, such as the clouds and water, creating a contrast between the precise portraiture and atmospheric setting.
Context
The inclusion of naval symbols and the maritime backdrop situates the work within a tradition of military portraiture that celebrates naval leadership and the expanding importance of sea power during the period in which it was created.
Artist & collection
Portrait of Ferdinand Vintsingerode (1770-1818)
Gijsbertus Martinus Cort Heyligers (1770-1849). Lieutenant General in the Infantery
Portrait of Fyodor V. Zvarykin (1765-1826)
Portrait of Andrey T. Maslov (1770-1828)
Portrait of Faddei F. Steingel (1762-1831)
Portrait of Gijsbertus Martinus Cort Heyligers (1770-1849). Luitenant-generaal der infanterie
Portrait of Karl I. Oppermann (1765/66-1831)
Portrait of Nikolai Mordvinov (?)