Portrait of Agrafena Zakrevskaya (Tolstaya) 1823

George Dawe painted this portrait of Agrafena Zakrevskaya, likely in the 1820s, using oil on canvas. Initially, the eye is drawn to the contrasting drapes of scarlet and her blue dress set against the dark, ominous sky. Her skin is almost porcelain; it is as though she is glowing. The painting utilizes a semiotic system of signs to convey cultural codes and meanings. For example, the cool aloofness and the bare feet challenge fixed meanings of class or position. We can engage with new ways of thinking about power or representation. The pillars on which she leans mark a classical education, while the ominous sky and bare feet bring a more modern sensibility. Ultimately, Dawe's formal choices function not just aesthetically but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse, inviting ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.