Artwork

"Portrait of Prince A.N. Golitsyn" ( the fragmented copy of the portrait by K.P. Bryullov)

"Portrait of Prince A.N. Golitsyn" ( the fragmented copy of the portrait by K.P. Bryullov) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Georg von Bothmann. It dates from 1871 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Georg von Bothmann’s oil painting, completed in 1871, depicts Prince A.N. Golitsyn seated in an interior setting. The work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection and serves as a fragmentary copy of an original portrait by K.P. Bryullov.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter, Prince Alexander Nikolayevich Golitsky, is shown in a dignified pose, his right hand resting on a desk and his left on the chair’s armrest. Attired in a black jacket with gold embroidery, a blue sash, and white trousers, he wears a ring on his left hand, underscoring his aristocratic status.

Technique & Style

Bothmann employs oil on canvas to render fine details in the fabrics and the polished dark‑wood floor. The composition balances muted tones with the bright white of the trousers and the subtle green of a potted plant, creating a restrained yet refined atmosphere.

History & Provenance

Created as a copy of Bryullov’s earlier portrait, the painting entered the Hermitage’s holdings in the late 19th century. Its provenance traces back to the Russian imperial collections, where copies of notable portraits were often commissioned for archival purposes.

Context

The portrait reflects the 19th‑century Russian practice of commemorating noble families through formal portraiture. By reproducing Bryullov’s image, Bothmann contributed to the visual documentation of the Golitsyn lineage, a prominent aristocratic house in Imperial Russia.