Artwork
Portrait of S.N.Lanskoy

Portrait of S.N.Lanskoy is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Unknown. It dates from 1813 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. The work is an oil portrait executed in 1813, depicting a gentleman identified as S.
About this work
You might also like to explore the State Hermitage Museum, which has many other artworks like this one.
This painting shows a man in a dark green military jacket with gold epaulets and a red collar. He has curly hair and a mustache. The background is a dark greenish-brown color.
The man's jacket has a high collar and a row of buttons down the front. He is wearing a medal on a red ribbon around his neck. The medal has a white cross with a red center.
The painting is done in a realistic style, with lots of detail in the man's face and clothing. It's a portrait of a man named S.N. Lanskoy, painted by an artist in 1813. You might also like to explore the State Hermitage Museum, which has many other artworks like this one.
Overview
The work is an oil portrait executed in 1813, depicting a gentleman identified as S.N. Lanskoy. Rendered in a realistic manner, the painting presents the sitter in a dark green military uniform with gold epaulettes, a high collar, and a red collar trim, set against a muted dark green‑brown backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is a man with curly hair and a moustache, adorned with a medal suspended from a red ribbon around his neck. The medal features a white cross centered on a red field, indicating a likely military or state honor, underscoring the sitter’s rank and service.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the portrait showcases meticulous attention to texture and detail, particularly in the rendering of fabric, metal insignia, and facial features. The realistic approach emphasizes naturalistic lighting and precise brushwork that conveys the material qualities of the uniform and the sitter’s expression.
History & Provenance
Created in the early nineteenth century, the portrait was painted during the Napoleonic era, a period when Russian military officers commonly commissioned such works. The painting now resides in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum, where it forms part of the institution’s extensive holdings of portraiture from the era.
Context
The portrait reflects the conventions of Russian imperial portraiture of the early 1800s, where uniformed officers were presented with formal dignity. The use of a dark green‑brown background focuses attention on the subject’s attire and insignia, aligning with contemporary practices that highlighted rank and personal achievement.
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