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Artwork

Portrait of Empress Catharine II of Russia

Joseph Friedrich August Darbes , 1774

Portrait of Empress Catharine II of Russia, by Joseph Friedrich August Darbes, oil, 1774
Portrait of Empress Catharine II of Russia, by Joseph Friedrich August Darbes, oil, 1774

Portrait of Empress Catharine II of Russia is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Joseph Friedrich August Darbes. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

The Portrait of Empress Catharine II of Russia is an oil painting created by Joseph Friedrich August Darbes in 1774, depicting Catherine II of Russia, and is now held at the Statens Museum for Kunst.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows Catherine II in elaborate 18th-century attire, wearing a patterned dress and fur-lined jacket, with a medal around her neck, suggesting high rank or nobility. Her confident pose, with one hand pointing and the other resting on her hip, reinforces this interpretation.

Technique & Style

The painting employs chiaroscuro, a lighting technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a dramatic effect, evident in the dark tones of the background and the subject's attire.

Artist & collection

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