Portrait of Princess Varvara Golitsyna

Damon employs a chiaroscuro scheme, allowing the light to fall on the princess’s face while the surrounding shadows recede into a dark, unadorned background. The lace on the collar and hat is rendered with delicate, three‑dimensional folds, and the subtle gradations of tone give the fabric a tactile quality.

Created in 1805, the portrait entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Ortolani Damon has been accepted by the museum’s curatorial staff, linking the work to the artist’s activity in the early 1800s.