Portrait of Karl B. Von Knorring 1827

This is a portrait of Karl B. Von Knorring, painted by George Dawe, a fashionable English portraitist who spent a decade in Russia painting military figures like this one. The image constructs meaning through a visual code of wealth and status. The Russian Empire, in which this painting was made, was a highly stratified society, and this portrait is a celebration of success within that structure. Note the confident pose, the expensive uniform, and the numerous medals pinned to Von Knorring’s chest. These medals, which can be researched through military archives, are records of service to the Tsar and participation in key military events. The Hermitage itself, as a former imperial palace, is part of this story of power and status. To fully understand an image like this we need to examine many aspects of its history – the biography of the sitter, the career of the artist, and the cultural norms of the society in which it was made.