Portrait C. M. Botkina, Serov, 1899 
- Posted by Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov
- Museum: Russian Museum
- Year: 1899
Overview of the painting :
Portrait C. M. Botkina – Valentin Alexandrovich Serov. 1899. Oil on canvas. 189×139.5
Portrait C. M. Botkina, the brush of Serov, decisively goes beyond the scope of the genre of ceremonial portrait. The author depicted heroin sitting on a chic baroque couch. Gold, dark silk, embroidery. Heavy, pretentious, tasteless. The model itself is opposite: light, air, sophisticated, sophisticated.
Serov deliberately tears heroin out of the usual interior and chooses the “empty” background. A ceremonial portrait takes on a subtle psychological sound. Dominant yellow, blue and black colors clearly convey loneliness and sadness. A roomy dog sitting nearby emphasizes defenselessness, vulnerability. The ceremonial portrait became very personal, revealing the nature and fate of the heroine.