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ALEXANDRA VASILIEVNA SENIAVINA, NÉE D'HOGGAUER, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM

Creator(s): Petr Fedorovich Sokolov (After)

Currently in storage


About this object

Alexandra Vasilevna Seniavina, née d’Hoggauer (1803-1862), and her sister Elisabeth are both featured in the Middleton Album (52.39.16). They were both daughters of the Governor of Courland. Alexandra became a lady-in-waiting to Empress Alexandra in 1826. In 1827, she married Russian statesman Ivan Grigorievich Seniavin (1801-1851), who is also portrayed in the Middleton Album (52.39.35). Alexandra, who loved to speak in French, avidly followed Parisian fashion. Her lavish home was located on the English Embankment in St. Petersburg. Her portrait in the Middleton Album was made after one created by Petr Sokolov in 1826. The original watercolor belongs to an album, containing thirty-five portraits made between 1820 and 1840 by different artists. This work as well as another portrait of Alexandra by Sokolov are now in the collection of the State Historical Museum in Moscow.

The oval bust-length portrait depicts Alexandra Vasilievna Seniavina with her body facing forward and her face and eyes turned slightly left, against a background of grey clouds. Her dark hair is elaborately styled in an Apollo knot. She wears a white dress with ruffles along the neckline and sleeves and a green belt secured with a gold Gothic Revival style belt buckle. Her ears are also adorned with a pair of pendant earrings.

Object name:
ALEXANDRA VASILIEVNA SENIAVINA, NÉE D'HOGGAUER, FROM THE MIDDLETON WATERCOLOR ALBUM
Made from:
Watercolor and gouache on paper
Date made:
1827-1835
Size:
H. 6 3/4 in., W. 4 3/4 in.

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
52.39.36
Signature marks:
Inscription Madame de Seniavine, née baronne d'Hoggauer Bottom of page In cursive
Credit line:
Museum Purchase, 2004