PORTRAIT OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST

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MOTHER OF GOD "JOY TO ALL WHO GRIEVE" WITH GUARDIAN ANGEL

Cat no.: 54.79
Artist: Unknown
Date: Late 18th c. (?)

COUNTESS ZINAIDA VON LEBZELTERN, NÉE DE LAVAL DE LA LOUBRERIE, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Cat no.: 52.39.22
Artist
Date: 1827-1830

Countess Zinaida von Lebzeltern, née de Laval de la Loubrerie (c.1803-1873), was one of four daughters of Jean-Charles François de Laval de la Loubrerie, a French émigré, and Alexandra Kozitskaya, a member of one of Russia’s wealthiest families. Her mother’s wealth ensured that she and her siblings (one of whom, Sophia, also appears in the Middleton Album -- 52.39.14) lived in a palace along the fashionable English Embankment and socialized with the cream of St. Petersburg society. Alexander Pushkin, who was well acquainted with the de Lavals, read poetry at their home and even described their mansion in his poem The Bronze Horseman (1833). In 1823 Zinaida married Count Ludwig von Lebzeltern, Austria’s current minister to St. Petersburg (52.39.21). In the Album, she is shown holding their only child, Alexandrine (1827-1899). The de Lebzelterns’ familial ties to Prince Sergei Troubetzkoy, a leader of the 1825 Decembrist uprising, led to Ludwig being recalled in 1826. Zinaida accompanied her husband when he was transferred to Naples in 1830 and lived there until her husband’s death in 1854. She later remarried Italian poet Joseph Campagna. Zinaida died in Paris in 1873.

COUNTESS MARIA ALEXANDROVNA MUSIN-PUSHKINA, NÉE URUSOVA, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Cat no.: 52.39.30
Artist
Date: 1822-1836

Maria Musin-Pushkina, née Urusova (1801-1853), was the sister of Sophia Alexandrovna Urusova, who is also featured in the Middleton Album (52.39.29). Maria married Ivan Alexeevich Musin-Pushkin (1783-1836) in 1822. Like her sister, she was close to Alexander Pushkin. After the death of her husband in 1836, she married statesman Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov (1798-1883) in 1838.

COUNTESS SOPHIA DE LAVAL DE LA LOUBRERIE FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Cat no.: 52.39.14
Artist
Date: 1825-1835

Countess Sophia de Laval de la Loubrerie (later von der Borch) (1809-1871) was the younger daughter of Count and Countess Jean-Charles François and Alexandra de Laval de la Loubrerie, a couple at the apex of St. Petersburg’s social hierarchy. Descended from the illustrious Kozitsky family, Sophia and her siblings, including sister Zinaida (also portrayed in the Middleton Album, 52.39.22), enjoyed the privileges of status and affluence. Their home was famous for its architecture and artwork and acted as a gathering place for important figures such as Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov. The Decembrists also met and received aid here, for Sophia’s brother-in-law, Prince Sergei Troubetzkoy, was a main participant in the revolt. She married in 1833 and gave birth to two daughters. Sophia and her husband,Count Alexander von der Borch—a Master of Ceremonies at the Russian court and the Director of the Imperial Theaters— were celebrated hosts in St. Petersburg society. United States Minister to Russia, George Mifflin Dallas, remarked in his diary in 1837 that they were “deservedly favorites” and that their house “strongly show[ed] the magic of wealth.” In addition to entertaining, Sophia supported various philanthropic foundations. In 1834, she became a board member of the Patriotic Society, Russia’s first women’s charity. Sophia also served beginning in 1844 on the Committee of the Holy Trinity Community of Sisters of Mercy. She remained an active participant in such organizations until her death in 1871.

SOPHIA ALEXANDROVNA BOBRINSKAYA, NÉE SAMOILOVA, (?) FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Cat no.: 52.39.42
Artist: Petr Fedorovich Sokolov
Date: ca. 1825

The portrait may depict Sophia Alexandrovna Bobrinskaya, née Samoilova (1797-1866), the wife of Count Alexander Alexeevich Bobrinsky (1800-1868). She was portrayed by Petr Sokolov in 1827, as was her brother, Nicholas Alexandrovich Samoilov (1800-1842). The latter was the husband of the famous countess Julia Samoilova (1803-1875), whose portrait by Karl Briullov is one of Hillwood’s masterpieces (51.73). Countess Bobrinsky’s portrait is one of two portraits signed by Petr Sokolov in the Middleton Album (the other is 52.39.32). The portrait features her in an elegant pose typical of Sokolov’s style.

SOPHIA ALEXANDROVNA URUSOVA FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Cat no.: 52.39.29
Artist
Date: 1825-1835

Sophia Alexandrovna Urusova (1804-1889) was one of three daughters of Alexander Mikhailovich Urusov (1766-1853) and Ekaterina Pavlovna Tatisheva (1775-1855). Her mother was the sister of Russian diplomat and collector Dmitry Pavlovich Tatishev (1767-1845). A portrait of Sophia’s younger sister, Maria, is also featured in the Middleton Album (52.39.30). The Urusovs belonged to Alexander Pushkin’s circle. During the 1820s, Sophia was considered one of the most beautiful young women in Petersburg high society. Sophia’s beauty caught the eye of Emperor Nicholas I during his coronation. Soon after, in 1827, he made her a lady-in-waiting to Empress Alexandra. Malicious gossip spread that she was the Emperor’s favorite. She eventually married Prince Lev Ludwigovich Radziwill (1804-1886) in 1833. She spent part of her life abroad; she became famous in Paris during the reign of Napoléon III. Petr Sokolov and Franz Xaver Winterhalter created well-known portraits of her.

PORTRAIT OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST

Made by: Sophia Engalichev

Currently in storage

About this object

According to curator Marvin Ross, this miniature of Marjorie Merriweather Post is signed by a Russian-born American, Sonia Engalichev. The painting is after the oil on canvas work by Douglas Chandor (51.156). The miniature is housed in a frame of bowenite and gold. The frame's opening is made of gold with beading. About this is a bowenite panel with a garland of leaves carved in green gold, intertwined about a red gold band. Outer frame has two intertwined ribbons carved in green gold against red gold.

Category:: paintings
Object name:: PORTRAIT OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST
Made from:: Watercolor on ivory
Made in:: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Date made:: ca. 1956
Size:: H. 3 7/16 in., W. 2 15/16 in.

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:: 11.70.2
Signature marks:: INSCRIPTION Illegible signature Front, right center edge, hidden by frame
Credit line:: Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973
Featured in publication:: "Fabergé Rediscovered","Fabergé at Hillwood"

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PORTRAIT OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST

PORTRAIT OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST

About this object

Detailed information for this item

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