Portrait of a Woman. 1816-20 (q). H., m. 70. 2h58. 8. Sumy Orest Adamovich Kiprensky (1782-1836)

Description of the painting "Portrait of a Woman" by Orest Kiprensky

During the 18th century in Russia a special place was occupied by such a type of painting as the portrait. A portrait is a depiction of a person with a recreation of a certain individuality. The external resemblance to a person, as well as his spiritual world, can all be displayed in a portrait. Despite the fact that the Academy considered this type of art to be the lowest genre, the fame of this genre was predetermined by the current needs of society at the time. The prerequisites for this new type of portrait were the conditions of Russian society in the 19th century.

Kiprensky was the illegitimate son of a Deaconov and a peasant woman. From the age of six, he studied at the Academy of Art. Characterized by diligence and a desire to learn.

During the Patriotic War, the artist Kiprensky worked on a number of portraits, which today show us all the faces involved in this historical drama. After 1822, the artist begins to work in the style of gala portrait. This genre is intended to show a person through the setting that surrounds him. The painter is trying to convey all the content of the picture by clearly reproducing in his paintings all the minutiae and details.

In the works of Kiprensky a special place take women’s portraits. They have it in a special way sincere, touching their depth.

The artist was able to create a lofty image of the girl. The artist dreamed to create a system in painting, which would reflect the illusion of life. During his different periods Kiprensky is different - from a romantic in his young period to a mature artist-realist.