The ceremonial portrait of Catherine II is a history painting and a typical attribute of the time. It was painted in 1787 in honor of the Empress’s journey to the Crimea. Catherine the Great went on a six-month voyage from Saint Petersburg to Sevastopol and back. The imperial train consisted of two hundred carriages and sledges, Catherine herself rode in a 14-seat carriage pulled by 40 horses. The retinue consisted of 3,000 people including European diplomats and ambassadors, as well as the Austrian emperor Joseph, who traveled incognito.
Portrait of Catherine II
Время создания
1787
Место создания
Russian Empire
Размер
305x205 cm
Техника
canvas, oil
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The journey was a solemn procession. During the night, tar barrels were lit on both sides of the road. In all the provincial cities where Her Majesty stayed, there were balls, and all the streets and houses were illuminated.
Evgraf Komarovsky, the first commander of the Russian Internal Guard
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On the way, Count Grigory Potemkin arranged military parades and fleet maneuvers, demonstrating the strength, valor and prestige of the Russian Empire. The painting by Dmitry Levitsky served the same purpose.
The Empress is depicted in a portrait with the attributes of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, tactics, and military strategy. The short satin tunic is reminiscent of the clothing of the Amazons. Catherine the Great was often called the northern Sammu-ramat, but the empress preferred the comparison with Alexander the Great. Dmitry Levitsky managed to create an image of a strong, fearless and determined ruler.
Dmitry Grigoryevich Levitsky was a hereditary Russian painter who lived in the second half of the 18th century. He headed the class of portrait painting at the Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. Levitsky was a master of the ceremonial portrait with its special set of coloring, postures, gestures, and symbols. His works include the famous portraits of the members of the imperial court, Alexander Suvorov and Denis Diderot. His top achievement, however, was the “Smolyanka” cycle that was a masterpiece of world art. Dmitry Levitsky started a genuine Russian school of painting that combined European techniques and Russian traditions.
The portrait of Catherine II by Levitsky entered the Ulyanovsk Art Museum in 1927 from the State Museum Fund. Previously, the picture had been in the private collection of the Baryatinsky princes in the Kursk province. In 1905, the portrait was exhibited in Saint Petersburg at the Tauride Historical and Art Exhibition.
The Empress is depicted in a portrait with the attributes of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, tactics, and military strategy. The short satin tunic is reminiscent of the clothing of the Amazons. Catherine the Great was often called the northern Sammu-ramat, but the empress preferred the comparison with Alexander the Great. Dmitry Levitsky managed to create an image of a strong, fearless and determined ruler.
Dmitry Grigoryevich Levitsky was a hereditary Russian painter who lived in the second half of the 18th century. He headed the class of portrait painting at the Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. Levitsky was a master of the ceremonial portrait with its special set of coloring, postures, gestures, and symbols. His works include the famous portraits of the members of the imperial court, Alexander Suvorov and Denis Diderot. His top achievement, however, was the “Smolyanka” cycle that was a masterpiece of world art. Dmitry Levitsky started a genuine Russian school of painting that combined European techniques and Russian traditions.
The portrait of Catherine II by Levitsky entered the Ulyanovsk Art Museum in 1927 from the State Museum Fund. Previously, the picture had been in the private collection of the Baryatinsky princes in the Kursk province. In 1905, the portrait was exhibited in Saint Petersburg at the Tauride Historical and Art Exhibition.
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Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
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Portrait of Catherine II
Время создания
1787
Место создания
Russian Empire
Размер
305x205 cm
Техника
canvas, oil
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