Yekaterina Nelidova Dmitry Levitsky (Levitzky) (1735-1822)

Description of the painting "Portrait of Nelidova" by Dmitry Levitsky

Nelidova was a maid of honor at the imperial court, a woman of uncommon intelligence, lightness of character and courage. Easily getting along with people, she playfully made useful acquaintances, found friends where, it would seem, no one could find them, and could even calm down Paul I, when he fell into hysterics and began to rage. It happened that she defended the Empress from the enraged Emperor.

The picture shows her quite young, even before her expulsion from St. Petersburg, even before the unpleasant rumors about her and Paul. She has recently graduated from the Institute (Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens), with her whole life ahead of her, and she is dressed in a theatrical dress which the pupils used to dance in during performances. Usually portraits of those times seem solemn and austere, with all the regalia, and necessarily with a stern look on the viewer.

Nelidova, on the other hand, is depicted dancing - you can see it in her whole posture. Her legs are crossed, her arms are making a circular movement, as if outlining an imaginary circle, her body goes backwards in relation to her legs, and her head is slightly inclined to the left. All this creates a sense of spiral motion, a spiral twisting - it seems that in the next instant the young girl will waltz around the picture, waltzing with herself.

She has a neat hat on her head, her hand holds a light, transparent apron, and her face plays with a sly, cheerful smile. Like a playful girl, Nelidova looks at the artist, and with him the viewer, a bit squinting, as if checking - is he angry that she is dancing? Will he stop, or laugh?

Her eyes are brown and her hair is ashy, put in a high hairdo. By all indications, she should seem all grown up, but she doesn’t.

This is how she went through life - laughing, dancing, shawling, and playing. Giving people a sense of joy and happiness to come.