Empress Alexandria Fedorovna 1851

Christina Robertson painted this watercolor portrait of Empress Alexandria Fedorovna. Empress Alexandria, born Princess Charlotte of Prussia, navigated the intricate landscape of 19th-century Russian court. The portrait offers a glimpse into the life of a woman who converted to Orthodox Christianity upon marrying into the Romanov dynasty. Robertson, a Scottish artist, skillfully captures Alexandria’s royal identity. The trappings of power are there: her elaborate gown, the imperial crown, and even the portrait of her husband, Tsar Nicholas I, in the background. Yet, Robertson also conveys Alexandria's delicate health and melancholy demeanor. Her pale complexion and wistful gaze suggest the isolation and pressures she may have faced as a foreign-born Empress in a patriarchal society.   The work offers an intimate glimpse into the identity of a woman whose life was shaped by the expectations and constraints of imperial Russia.