After Dmitrii Grigorievich Levitskii
Portrait of Emperor Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825)
oil on canvas
24¼ x 19½ in. (61.6 x 49.6 cm.)
After Dmitrii Grigorievich Levitskii
Portrait of Emperor Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825)
oil on canvas
24¼ x 19½ in. (61.6 x 49.6 cm.)
Formerly from the Collection of the Demidoff Family.
Dmitrii G. Levitskii was one of the first artists in Russia who mastered the genre of child portraiture, often painting portraits of children from the Imperial family. In 1787 he was commissioned to portray Grand Duke Aleksandr Pavlovich, future Emperor Aleksandr I. The natural yet porcelain-like features of the child convey the innocence as well as the impenetrability of the future emperor. The original portrait of Grand Duke Aleksandr Pavlovich is considered to be one of Levitskii's masterpieces. Empress Catherine II, who fell in love with the portrait, later commissioned Levitskii to paint portraits of the Grand Duchesses Alexandra, Yelena, Maria, and Ekaterina.
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