Портрет Екатерины II

Rokotov employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, allowing light to illuminate the face and ornaments against a subtly darkened background. The delicate brushwork on the fabric and the nuanced rendering of the pearls create a tactile sense of texture, characteristic of Rococo’s decorative sensibility combined with Russian portrait traditions.

Born a serf in 1736, Rokotov earned his freedom in the late 1750s and quickly attracted aristocratic commissions. After completing this portrait, he was admitted as an Academician two years later. The painting entered the Tretyakov Gallery’s holdings in the early 20th century, where it remains on public display.

Created shortly after Catherine’s accession, the portrait reflects the early phase of her reign, when she sought to align Russia with Western artistic currents. Rokotov’s work bridges the decorative Rococo style popular in Europe with the emerging Russian imperial iconography, marking a transitional moment in 18th‑century Russian art.