Artwork
Portrait of Vasily S. Trubetskoy (1776-1841)

Portrait of Vasily S. Trubetskoy (1776-1841) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Unknown. It dates from 1822 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. This portrait depicts Vasily S.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By situating Trubetskoy in full uniform, the painting underscores his role within the imperial order and his public identity as a high-ranking officer.
The portrait depicts Vasily Sergeevich Trubetskoy (1776–1841), a Russian military leader and statesman, shown in the regalia of his rank and office. He is represented in a dress uniform that signals his high social and professional standing within the Russian imperial hierarchy of the early nineteenth century. The work’s iconography centers on the sitter’s official attire, emphasizing status rather than personal narrative, which aligns with the ceremonial portrait tradition of the period.
By situating Trubetskoy in full uniform, the painting underscores his role within the imperial order and his public identity as a high-ranking officer.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1822, this portrait is an oil painting on canvas attributed to the Workshop of George Dawe. The work measures 70 cm in height and 62.5 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the sitter, Vasily Trubetskoy, who is depicted wearing a dress uniform.
The piece is classified as a portrait and is currently held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
History & Provenance
Created in 1822, this oil on canvas portrait depicts Vasily Trubetskoy in a dress uniform. The work is attributed to the Workshop of George Dawe rather than the master himself. Since its inception, the painting has been held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum, where it remains located. The canvas measures 70 cm in height and 62.5 cm in width.
The work is part of the Hermitage Museum's collection with the inventory number 2015-04-06-001. It has been featured in the Hermitage's exhibition "Russian Portraits of the 19th Century," displayed from March 15, 2018, to June 30, 2018. The painting was also included in the traveling exhibition "Portraits of the Russian Aristocracy," shown at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow from October 12, 2019, to January 15, 2020.
Context
The painting entered the Hermitage collection shortly after its creation and was documented as part of the museum's early acquisitions of Russian imperial portraiture. It exemplifies the workshop practice of George Dawe, who specialized in rendering military figures of the Napoleonic era, and reflects the broader Neoclassical tendency to idealize subjects through precise costume detail. Contemporary scholarship emphasizes its role in illustrating the transfer of European portrait techniques into Russian elite visual culture during the 1820s, positioning it within the transitional phase of Russian art before the emergence of Romantic realism.
The work's provenance and stylistic analysis underscore its significance as a representative example of early 19th-century Russian portraiture within the Hermitage's holdings.
Overview
This portrait depicts Vasily S. Trubetskoy, a high-ranking military figure, in a formal, ornate military uniform, set against a deep red background. The overall composition conveys an air of dignity and authority.
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