Paul i (1754–1801), son of peter iii and catherine ii. From 1796 – russian emperor. The portrait was painted contrary to the traditions that had developed in ceremonial imperial images. It is completely devoid of attributes that would indicate the high status of the hero: there is no crown, scepter, or ermine mantle in the painting, which are always present in other similar works. Unlike his dynastic predecessors, depicted in lush palace interiors, paul appears in the portrait as if surrounded by emptiness. By breaking the established pattern of imperial portraiture, shchukin managed to convey the spirit of paul’s time – a complex and contradictory period in russian history. By isolating the hero from the world of things and objects, the artist thereby places him in an exceptional position. Paul appears as a phenomenon on an empty stage, as if history begins with him. Such a laconic solution elevates the hero to an unattainable height, for he must be recognized without numerous explanatory details. Object Type: painting. Date: 1797. Dimensions: height: 248 cm (97.6 in); width: 163 cm (64.1 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Tretyakov Gallery. Paul I of Russia by Stepan Shchukin (1797, Tretyakov gallery)
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