Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia 1799

Vladimir Borovikovsky painted this portrait of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, though the exact date isn't known. Consider the conventions of royal portraiture at this time. It was common to depict nobility in a way that reinforced their status, and Borovikovsky was well-versed in this tradition, having spent time as a court painter. Yet, this portrait departs from the norm. Elena is posed informally, wearing a simple dress and a flower crown, set against an impressionistic landscape. Compare this to other portraits in the Hermitage, and you will see how unusual this is. It reflects a broader shift in Russian society, as some members of the aristocracy began to embrace more progressive, modern ideas. Scholars of Russian history can show us how such paintings reflected those social changes. We can interpret paintings like this as comments on Russian social structures.