Perspective of the Constantine Palace 1923

Anna Ostroumova-Lebedeva created this wood engraving, Perspective of the Constantine Palace, using stark black ink on paper. It presents a somewhat brooding image of the palace reflected in water. The Constantine Palace, near St. Petersburg, is a potent symbol of Russian imperial power. Ostroumova-Lebedeva, who trained in Russia and Paris, was active in the Mir iskusstva movement, which sought to promote Russian art and culture in the late Imperial and early Soviet periods. The artist lived through immense social and political upheaval, including the Russian Revolution of 1917, which dismantled the Tsarist autocracy. Given the history of the palace as an instrument of state power, how might this image serve as a commentary on the changing fortunes of Russian society? Looking into her biography, along with histories of Russian art institutions, we may better understand the significance of this work.