Portrait of Princess Zinaida Yusupova. 1,902 Valentin Serov (1865-1911)

Description of Valentin Serov’s painting "Portrait of Princess Z. N. Yusupova".

The portrait of Princess Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova, painted in the very beginning of the 20th century, was created by the artist by order of the princess herself. At that time Valentin Serov was already widely known among the nobility as a talented and peculiar painter; many were ready to order a personal portrait from him, but Serov himself disapproved of their wishes, considering them excessively "conceited and rich". However, the beautiful Yusupova was an exception for the artist: according to Serov’s own confession, he saw in this princess not only outwardly attractive, but also a high moral and kind woman, in addition, not alien to art.

Indeed, Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova appreciated art in its various forms. Playing in amateur home shows, she delighted the audience with her play. The heiress of a fabulous fortune, she donated much to support the fine arts, including contributing money to the Museum of Fine Arts. Zinaida Yusupova was considered a woman of good education and manners, which could not be better suited to her high status.

Critic S. Goloushev gave a very high assessment of the portrait of Yusupova: in his words, the princess depicted in the picture is almost a model image of a representative of high society, who knows how to hold the height, away from everything that could degrade her honor. Goloushev called her the Marquise of her time.