Ball in honor of emperor alexander ii, organized by the city of helsinki in september 1863 in the building of the railway station. 1864 signed and dated lower left: zichy 1864 inscription on the passe-partout below (author's?): bal offert a sa majeste i'empereur par la ville helsingfors k sept. 1863 (dans la gare de chemin du fer) watercolor, gouache, whitewash, traces of a pencil sketch. 450 x 610 provenance: post, in 1927 from the library of the winter palace inv. No. Or-27380 exhibitions: 1977-1978 budapest literature: aleshina 1975, p. 199 the event recorded by zichy is connected with the policy of alexander ii towards the grand duchy of finland, which was part of the russian empire. On september 3–5, at the initiative of the emperor, the sejm (which had not met since 1809) was convened in helsinki, where alexander ii delivered a promising speech with a proposal to expand the rights of local representation by enshrining them in a corresponding law, which was to be developed in the coming years. The watercolour was executed based on a life-size pencil sketch, as can be judged by both the later date of the drawing and its dense colour texture. Alexander ii is depicted in the uniform of the life guards finnish rifle battalion next to empress maria alexandrovna and surrounded by officers in the same uniform. On the right are the finnish deputies. Date: 1864. Dimensions: height: 475 mm (18.70 in); width: 615 mm (24.21 in). Medium: gouache, watercolour. Collection: Hermitage Museum. Mihály Zichy - Ball in Honour of Alexander II - WGA25974
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