Andrey Timofeyevich Maslov, Russian Major General 

This is a portrait of Andrey Timofeyevich Maslov, a Russian Major General, painted by George Dawe, an English portrait artist who lived in Russia in the early 19th century. Dawe was commissioned to paint portraits of the Russian generals who participated in the Napoleonic Wars. These portraits, over 300 in all, were intended to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon and to solidify the image of Alexander I as a powerful European leader. The portraits, displayed in the Winter Palace, contributed to the construction of Russian national identity and the legitimization of the Tsarist regime. The meticulous detail in the general’s uniform emphasizes the importance of military service and the visual codes of power. We might consider the social function of portraiture during this period: How did images of military heroes shape public opinion and reinforce social hierarchies? By examining archival records, military histories, and the biographies of the sitters, we can better understand the ways in which art and politics were intertwined in 19th-century Russia.