Description of the artwork «Portrait of Arsenyeva»
Vladimir Borovikovsky – the famous Russian portrait painter of Ukrainian origin, who lived in the XVIII century. The most famous of his paintings are portraits of young girls, and "Portrait Arsenyeva"it refers to such works. The portrait was painted in 1796 and belongs to the Rococo style.
From the canvas to us fervently looking teenage girl. Her eyes glow with joy and ease which is inherent in young girls, and slight slanting of the eyes only emphasizes this feeling of ease. Head slightly raised, face the character in the picture has a soft features. The corners of her mouth froze in an easy half-smile that tells us of the joy inherent in the character of the young Ekaterina Arsenyeva.
Arsenyev on the portrait is dressed in the most fashionable at that time dress with ribbon under bust and jewels on the sleeves. On the right wrist it also shines a triple string of pearls. Decoration in the picture Borovikovsky "Portrait of Arsenyev" is depicted in an easy manner, without unnecessary detail. In light curls of the girl sitting hat of straw which is similar in shape to an inverted basket, and the headpiece is decorated with a bundle of ears, even more emphasizing the Pastorale pattern.
Overall "Portrait Arsenyeva" features the amazing skill of the painter. A delightful play of colors in a favorable light shows us the still young face with a Flirty smile. All the colors in a painting by Vladimir Borovikovsky "Portrait of Arsenyev" if a little washed out, covered with mist which blurs the contours and gives the features of agility and lightness. So the picture is not static in too pretentious a pose, the whole composition looks as if Borovikovsky painted the moment of walking Arsenyeva in the woods (behind her one can see the green trees), and asked her to pose. In the hand of a girl holding an Apple – a symbol of Aphrodite.
Nice, gentle face Catherine, her light clothes, a simple image of the shepherdess – the picture makes a very pleasant impression. The artist using pastel colors and light brush strokes did his best to convey a sense of young, Flirty carelessness, the same age when a girl not yet a woman but not a girl.
Ekaterina arseneva was the eldest daughter of N. D. Arsenyev, major-General, participated in the storming of Izmail. Catherine was educated at the Educational society of noble maidens at Smolny monastery and was a maid of honour of Empress Maria Feodorovna.
Today the picture Borovikovsky "Portrait of Arsenyev" is stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg – that's where you can see it live.