Portrait of Alexander Samoilov

Lampi employed chiaroscuro to create depth and volume, focusing attention on the subject. A red cloth on Samoilov's lap and a dramatic, cloudy background enhance the composition's visual interest.

Painted during Lampi's time in the Russian Empire, attracted by Tsar Paul I's patronage after the third partition of Poland, the portrait has remained in Russian custody, now held by the State Hermitage Museum.

The painting reflects the Biedermeier style's emphasis on realism and middle-class values, though Samoilov's depicted status may align more with the aristocratic patronage that supported Lampi's work in Russia.

As part of the Hermitage's collection, the portrait contributes to the museum's historical and artistic holdings, offering insight into late 18th-century European portraiture and the Biedermeier movement's reach into the Russian Empire.