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NATALIA VICTOROVNA STROGANOVA, NÉE VASILCHIKOVA, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Creator(s):

Currently in storage


About this object

The elder daughter of Count Victor Pavlovich Kochubey (1768-1834) and Maria Vasilievna, née Vasilchikova (1779-1844), Natalia Victorovna Stroganova (1800-1854) belonged to a prominent Russian noble family. Her father was a diplomat close to Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich. In 1801, when Alexander became Emperor, Count Kochubey left Dresden and moved back to St. Petersburg with his family. Victor built a brilliant career there: he was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1801 and 1802 and then Minister of the Interior until 1812. and He held this position again from 1819 to 1825. Between 1817 and 1818, the family spent a lot of time abroad, particularly in Paris. From 1827, Victor was the President of the State Council and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers. Thanks to her father’s proximity to the throne, Natalia was introduced at court and became a lady-in-waiting to the Empress. In 1820 she married Count Alexander Grigorievich Stroganov (1795-1891), a member of a famous family of collectors and the owner of a magnificent palace on the Nevsky PProspect in Petersburg. The couple hosted a brilliant salon. Many artists including Petr Sokolov, Orest Kiprensky and Alexander Briullov portrayed Natalia and her family. Natalia, one of Alexander Pushkin’s first loves, may have inspired the character of Tatiana in Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin.

The half-length portrait portrays Natalia Victorovna Stroganova facing partly right, with eyes looking slightly right, against a neutral background. She sits on a Gothic Revival style oak armchair or sofa with blue upholstery. Her dark hair is elaborately styled in an Apollo knot and embellished with gold hairpins. She is dressed in an elegant ball gown with a red bodice and skirt and large transparent “leg of mutton” sleeves. Her also wears gold drop earrings, a gold brooch with three pendants, and an elaborate gold belt.

Object name:
NATALIA VICTOROVNA STROGANOVA, NÉE VASILCHIKOVA, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM
Made from:
Watercolor on paper
Date made:
1825-1835
Size:
H. 7 7/8 in., W. 6 1/4 in.

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
52.39.25
Signature marks:
Inscription Comtesse Natalie Stroganoff, née Hotschoubey Bottom of page In cursive
Credit line:
Museum Purchase, 2004