Empress Maria Feodorovna 1912

This full-length portrait of Empress Maria Feodorovna was painted by Vladimir Makovsky, though we don’t know exactly when. Just looking at the surface, I imagine Makovsky in his studio, layering strokes of oil, building up the textures of velvet, satin, and ermine. What was he thinking as he painted her face? I like to imagine him thinking, "How can I capture the cool detachment and the glimmers of warmth in her gaze?" Maybe he wondered if he could convey her status and her humanity all at once. The surface is built up with detailed brushwork, carefully articulating the embroidery on her gown and the ornate details of the room. It's like he wanted to trap light itself. Painters, you know, we're always having this dialogue with each other, across time. I wonder if, when he painted this, Makovsky was thinking of Velazquez and the long tradition of court portraiture. It’s a conversation that never ends. Each artist inspires the next. Painting is like that, always unfolding, always open to new interpretation.