The history of the painting is unknown. The most mysterious of all strangers: who was the “Unknown Woman” by artist Ivan Kramskoy

A picturesque sketch for the painting "Unknown", which is kept in Prague, in a private collection (1883).

This is probably the most famous work Kramskoy, the most intriguing thing, which remains incomprehensible and unsolved to this day. By calling his painting “Unknown,” the clever Kramskoy forever attached to it an aura of mystery. Contemporaries were literally at a loss. Her image evoked concern and anxiety, a vague premonition of a depressing and dubious new thing - the appearance of a type of woman who did not fit into the previous system of values. “It is unknown who this lady is, decent or corrupt, but a whole era sits in her,” some stated. Stasov loudly called Kramskoy’s heroine “a cocotte in a stroller.” Tretyakov also admitted to Stasov that “ previous works“He likes Kramskoy more than the latter. There were critics who connected this image with Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, who had descended from her heights social status, with Fyodor Dostoevsky's Nastasya Filippovna, rising above the position of a fallen woman, the names of ladies of the world and demi-monde were also called. By the beginning of the 20th century, the scandalousness of the image was gradually covered by the romantic and mysterious aura of Blok’s “Stranger.” IN Soviet time Kramskoy’s “Unknown” became the embodiment of aristocracy and secular sophistication, almost Russian Sistine Madonna- ideal unearthly beauty and spirituality.

In a private collection in Prague there is a picturesque sketch for the painting, convincing that Kramskoy was looking for ambiguity artistic image. The sketch is much simpler and sharper, what has been said and more definite picture. It reveals the insolence and power of a woman, a feeling of emptiness and satiety, which are absent in the final version. In the film “Unknown,” Kramskoy is captivated by the sensual, almost teasing beauty of his heroine, her delicate dark skin, her velvet eyelashes, the slightly arrogant squinting of her brown eyes, her majestic posture. Like a queen, she rises above the foggy white cold city, driving in an open carriage along the Anichkov Bridge. Her outfit - a "Francis" hat, trimmed with elegant light feathers, "Swedish" gloves made of the finest leather, a "Skobelev" coat, decorated with sable fur and blue satin ribbons, a muff, a gold bracelet - all these are fashionable details of a women's costume of the 1880s years, claiming expensive elegance. However, this did not mean belonging to high society; rather, on the contrary, the code of unwritten rules excluded strict adherence to fashion in the highest circles of Russian society.

The exquisite sensual beauty, majesty and grace of the “Unknown”, a certain alienation and arrogance cannot hide the feeling of insecurity in the face of the world to which she belongs and on which she depends. With his painting, Kramskoy raises the question of the fate of beauty in imperfect reality.

The appearance at the 11th exhibition of the TPHV of this painting by Kramskoy, in which we are accustomed to seeing the embodied image of femininity, was accompanied by almost a scandal. The author himself added fuel to the fire by calling her exactly that - “Unknown” (in the “everyday” consciousness another name has taken root - “Stranger”). It was as if he had posed a riddle, which the audience began to solve with passion. In the end, the majority agreed that Kramskoy depicted in his work a “demi-monde lady” - or, to put it more clearly, a rich kept woman. V. Stasov also came up with a biting definition - “Cocotte in a stroller.” And no matter how much the adherents of “high femininity” subsequently argued with this, Stasov seemed to have guessed Kramskoy’s riddle. The thing is,

that later the sketch for the painting became known, and in it the characteristic vulgarity of the model leaves no doubt about what she does in life. But is it important now! Established interpretations of works of art often have nothing in common with the author's intentions. Something similar happened with “Unknown”. The Russian commitment to literary allusions made her first Nastasya Filippovna from Dostoevsky's Idiot, then Anna Karenina, then Blok's Stranger, and then completely the embodiment of femininity. It is curious that P. Tretyakov did not want to buy this work. It appeared in the Tretyakov collection only in 1925, as a result of the nationalization of private collections.

Details of the picture

The heroine is dressed according to latest fashion(season 1883) - this is what experts in the history of costume say.

The pink frosty haze is painted so masterfully that it seems to convey a feeling of cold in reality. Kramskoy knew how to paint light and air when he wanted to.

The location of the action is beyond doubt - it is Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg. Famous buildings were drawn by Kramsko, on the one hand, quite sketchily, and on the other, quite recognizable.

One of the most famous paintings Russian painting is stored in Tretyakov Gallery. There have always been a lot of rumors around this intriguing work, but its author has not revealed the main mystery, which concerns the woman depicted in the picture. Many artists who painted portraits often kept the characters in their paintings secret, but over time, everything secret became clear.

Unsolved mystery

The painting “The Stranger” caused a real stir and gave rise to speculation among contemporaries who dreamed of finding out who posed for Kramskoy. However, the creator did not reveal the secret, and all the gossip was devoid of arguments.

At present, no one can reliably say who served real prototype a work that remains misunderstood to this day. An imperious, proud stranger looks at the audience, captivating with her gaze. We will figure out what the mystical appeal of the work is and what are the main versions regarding the prototype of the beauty sitting in an open carriage.

Birth of a masterpiece

The history of the painting “The Stranger” by Kramskoy began in 1883, when famous painter painted a portrait beautiful lady, about which there is not a single mention in the master’s notes. The canvas was put on public display at the exhibition of the Itinerants, and the public, who reacted with delight to the work, carried the painter in their arms, who did not expect such fame. Everyone vied with each other to ask who the seductive lady who posed for Kramskoy was, but the creator remained silent, which gave rise to many rumors and versions. Everyone began to passionately solve the fascinating puzzle in order to identify the stranger who had caused such a resonance in society.

Literary character?

The image of the beautiful lady excited and disturbed minds, caused concern, and contemporaries were at a loss. Many admitted that they could not determine who this woman really was, and critics were unanimous in their opinion: “An entire era sits within her, and it does not matter whether she is decent or corrupt.”

The painting "Stranger" appeared after the publication of Tolstoy's novel "Anna Karenina", and many decided that Ivan Nikolaevich portrayed the main character, who succumbed to passion and lost social status. Opponents of this version found similarities between the unknown charmer and Nastasya Filippovna, who rose above her position from Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot.”

Daughter or Georgian princess?

Many art historians believe that his daughter posed for the artist. If you compare “Stranger” with the portrait of Sofia Kramskoy (“Girl with a Cat”), then you cannot deny the visible similarity of the two women. Russian journalist and the writer I. Obolensky does not agree with any version and put forward his own. In his opinion, the prototype was V. Turkestanishvili, the favorite of Tsar Alexander I. After she gave birth to the emperor’s daughter, the autocrat lost interest in the maid of honor and her child. Distraught with grief, Varvara committed suicide. When Kramskoy learned the tragic fate of his favorite and saw her portrait, he was amazed by the beauty of the Georgian princess and wanted to convey the image of a proud woman in his work.

Collective image?

Art critics adhere to the version that the painting “Stranger” (often called “Unknown”) is collective image a woman who is not talked about in polite society.

Painted lips, an applied blush, fashionable expensive clothes reveal her as a kept woman who is supported by some rich man. The art critic and art historian Stasov even called the painting “Cocotte in a Carriage.”

Sketch and canvas: differences

And after a study for the painting was discovered in a private Czech collection, experts came to the conclusion that the author of the painting “Stranger” really wanted to portray an arrogant lady looking down on those around her. There is no understatement or uncertainty in a pictorial sketch. A daring woman looks at the audience, in whose face one can read satiety with life. What she does leaves an imprint on her appearance, and one of the signs that characterizes a lady is vulgarity. However, in the final version, Kramskoy ennobled the external features of the charming woman, teasing with her beauty. He admires his heroine, her aristocracy, majestic posture, delicate skin. The master sees in her a real queen who rises above other people.

Description of the painting "Stranger"

The canvas depicts a young woman dressed in the latest fashion: a hat with feathers, a coat trimmed with satin ribbons and sable fur, leather gloves. However, this does not indicate belonging to high society, but only emphasizes the elegance of the lady.

Although famous buildings St. Petersburg are written in the form of sketches, they are quite recognizable, and experts named the place of action, which does not raise any doubts - Nevsky Prospekt. A beautiful lady, whose wardrobe details are carefully detailed, drives across the snow-covered Anichkov Bridge in an open carriage. Proud and arrogant, she shows off her beauty, and in this one can see a certain challenge to society.

The pinkish-white frosty haze seems to give off a feeling of cold, because the talented painter Ivan Kramskoy had a great command of techniques that convey air and light. “The Stranger” is not a salon portrait, but a complex canvas that holds intrigue. Urban bustle helps to understand the spirituality of the image of the unknown. The dark-skinned charmer seems to tease the viewer with sensual beauty, and a slight sadness can be read in her eyes. Kramskoy shows inner world ladies who feel unprotected and suffer from the falseness of people. Her drama lies in the fact that she cannot come to terms with the cold calculation of society. The author touches eternal questions who tormented humanity. The painting “Stranger” is his reflections on morality and beauty, as well as on the relationship between these two concepts.

It is curious that in Soviet times, the image of the lady who caused a scandal in the 19th century was rethought and acquired a romantic aura after the release of Blok’s “The Stranger.” The majestic beauty, whose name is unlikely to be recognized by anyone, has become the ideal of sophistication and spirituality. Today viewers, with bated breath, look at the canvas on which female character the author brilliantly showed “from the inside,” and new generations will peer into the woman’s huge eyes to find out her secret.

“Unknown” is a painting by the Russian artist Ivan Kramskoy, recognized far beyond the borders of the author’s homeland. A masterpiece created by a little-known portrait painter became known throughout the world.

Painting "Unknown"

There is no doubt who painted the painting “Unknown”. The author of the work is the artist Ivan Nikolaevich. The information regarding the girl depicted on the canvas remains a mystery. The creator did not leave comments, diary entries, or any other information. One version says, portrait unknown Ivan Kramskoy is the prototype of the artist’s beloved daughter Sofia. The girl died in at a young age. The event caused mental anguish for the talented creator.

The history of the creation of Kramskoy’s painting “Unknown” includes several theories regarding the woman’s person. Matryona Savvishna, who worked as Count Bestuzhev’s maid, may have become the master’s model. Another version is that the master created a portrait, inspired tragic fate Georgian princess Varvara Turkestanova.

The world saw the mysterious lady on canvas on March 2, 1883 (opening of the 11th exhibition of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions). The canvas became a real sensation, causing genuine delight among the general public. Tretyakov had a slightly different opinion. The gallery owner refused to purchase the canvas.

The peak of popularity falls on the period of the USSR. During democratization, the portrait is exposed to visitors to the Tretyakov Gallery. The author of the painting “Unknown” subsequently became popular thanks to this work.

Interesting factors about the painting “Unknown” by Kramskoy are as follows:

has a bad mystical reputation;
was in private collections for a long time;
temporary owners acquired personal problems after the acquisition (wife left, house burned down, bankruptcy, death);
the author suffered from the canvas (after the completion of the work, the artist’s 2 sons mysteriously died);
until 1925 the painting was abroad (private collections).

Description of the picture

It is better to begin an artistic description of Kramskoy’s painting “Unknown” with a portrait of a mystical stranger. A beautiful young woman sitting in a stroller appears. The lady looks sophisticated and elegant.

The head is decorated with a velvet beret called “Francis”. Headdresses of this kind can be seen in portraits of nobles of the 16th and 17th centuries. Under the cap we see a large head of dark hair. The coat is made of expensive cloth, decorated with sable fur and dark blue silk ribbons. Outerwear is associated with the general's overcoat, which was worn by the aristocrats of that time. From this we can assume the woman’s high origins.

The beauty's dark face is slightly covered with blush. Large eyelashes, plump lips, and a playful half-smile convey the femininity of the heroine. In fact, work is the standard of femininity.

The eye is drawn to the muff that the stranger is holding. The product is decorated with sable fur and variegated blue ribbons. The hands are covered with gloves, complementing the range of dark blue colors of the lady's robes. Left hand decorated with jewelry. We see a huge gold bracelet.

The background is the outlines of Anichkov Palace, shrouded in light fog on a frosty winter morning. It can be assumed that the carriage is located on the bridge leading to the palace. The image (like a film still shot in close-up) is quite unusual for works of the era. The heroine's face comes to the fore, attracting the viewer's attention. The eyes are clearly visible, the gaze is distant, sad, a little arrogant.

Critics who refute the fact of Ivan Nikolaevich’s depiction of his daughter are inclined to argue that wonderful lady has the properties of "Ladies with Camellias". Presumably the woman is a wealthy kept woman or an actress under the patronage of influential individuals. The nobility of that time was in deep decline. Purebred ladies did not allow themselves such expensive outfits due to savings. Dress according to the latest fashion trends was distinctive feature women who got into high society thanks to big money.

The play of shadows, the fall of daylight, the tones of clothing, the outlines of the figure indicate that the work was created in several stages. Image main character painted from a model in the studio. The exhibition of winter St. Petersburg is also depicted from life.

The image of a mysterious stranger has mystical properties. The owners who owned the canvas faced bitterness and loss. At one time, Tretyakov refused to purchase the canvas because he considered the painting uninteresting for the viewer. Since then, a streak of failures began in the lives of the owners of the work of art. It was all over when the canvas found its way permanent place, once in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Woman from Nowhere

One of the most famous and mysterious paintings of the Russian school of painting appeared as if out of nowhere. In Kramskoy’s extensive epistolary heritage there is not a word about work on “The Unknown”. The diaries and memoirs of contemporaries do not clarify the situation - nothing anywhere. Some kind of mysterious “figure of silence” instead of a thoroughly documented creative background to the creation of the masterpiece called “Russian Mona Lisa”. The conclusion suggests itself: famous artist, who had wide circle customers in different strata of St. Petersburg society - from rich noble and merchant houses to grand ducal and royal palaces - he deliberately wrote "The Unknown" in secret from everyone. For Ivan Nikolaevich, such secrecy was unnatural: as a rule, he willingly shared his creative ideas.

The intrigue continued to unfold... Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov did not buy for his gallery the undoubted masterpiece of the Itinerant and constant correspondent so valued by him and refrained from commenting.

But why? What did contemporaries see in this portrait that we do not see?

And your humble servant tried to look at female portrait through the eyes of the first visitors to the “picture exhibition” of 1883, claiming aristocracy and strict observance of secular decency.

Yes - a woman rides in a stroller. Note - double. That is, this is either someone’s departure (which is an indicator of a high position) or, at a minimum, an expensive reckless driver. At the same time, the heroine is alone in the stroller. Although it would be fitting for a decent lady to travel with someone - her husband, father, brother, finally, a friend or companion...

The aristocrat would never allow herself such a demonstrative violation of the rules of the world. An aristocrat would not have dressed the way “Unknown” did.

And this is already a clue for the search, in which the research of specialists in the history of costume helped me 1.

Manto in memory of Skobelev

A small velvet “Francis” hat with a curled white ostrich feather, a “Skobelev” coat with sable fur, expensive leather gloves - things were super fashionable for 1883. The real trend of the season, as they would say these days: the “white general” Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev passed away under very mysterious circumstances in the summer of 1882, and the death of the young military leader continues to excite minds. But wearing so many expensive and fashionable things at once is bad form for a lady from high society. A rich woman with a sense of style will wear one thing that emphasizes her status - and that’s enough. Dressing up in the “very best” is the manner of the nouveau riche.

Let us remember that the picture was painted in the years of the birth of Russian capitalism, when the then “new Russians” entered the arena - railway magnates, bankers... It was they and their ladies who boasted of luxury, which caused grins - the upstarts were amusing their complexes. Pushkin precisely said about the future:

And silently exchanged glances
He received a general sentence.

The conclusion is obvious: the lady depicted by Kramskoy either does not belong to secular society, or has the unique opportunity to violate the rules of behavior accepted in it with impunity. The “Unknown” is removed from the jurisdiction of the omnipotent and cruel secular rumor and realizes her own lack of jurisdiction: the harsh sentences of the world are not for her.

This is possible in one and only case: the lady is supported by the Emperor himself, who does not want to keep his special relationship with the “Unknown” secret. All that remains is to say her name. This is Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova (1847 - 1922), who was close to Alexander II (1818 - 1881) for 14 years. And letters to which he always began with the words: “Hello, dear angel of my soul” 2.

Second in a stroller

Both the emperor himself and his favorite viewed this closeness not as a sinful relationship, but as a secret marriage union, for which they received a blessing “from God.” The State Archive of the Russian Federation contains extensive correspondence of this couple: 3,450 letters from Alexander II and 1,458 letters from the princess.

Having studied the correspondence, a historian from St. Petersburg and the author of “Motherland” Yulia Safronova wrote a wonderful book “Ekaterina Yuryevskaya. A Novel in Letters”, in which she very delicately, but psychologically accurately wrote about this incident. From the very beginning of the relationship, the couple developed their own “love formulas”:

“Katya even wrote about their mutual feeling as an event predetermined in heaven: “We were created to be a sacred exception.” Such constant self-hypnosis made it possible to avoid discussions of the illegality of an extramarital affair. The novel was never thought of in terms of sin, but, on the contrary, - as following God's command. At the same time, the couple understood that from the outside their relationship could be assessed differently. The uncertainty hidden from themselves is visible in the obsessive repetition: “We alone fully understand the sanctity of this feeling, which we are happy and proud of...In a different way.” to answer internal doubts was to declare one’s feelings unique, inaccessible to anyone, and therefore not subject to general laws: “... we are the only couple who loves with such passion as we do, and who knows the joy of the cult that God has instilled in us.” The extreme degree of isolation of oneself from the world was the declaration of everything external as insignificant, without meaning..." 3

The couple repeatedly violated the unwritten rules of behavior in society. During her vacation in Crimea, the princess could go for a walk alone. The Empress's maid of honor, Countess Alexandra Andreevna Tolstaya, recalled with poorly concealed indignation how she once saw Princess Dolgorukova "on the road, in front of everyone... walking" 4 . An even greater violation of social decency was lovers walking together in an open carriage. On June 30, 1872, the princess wrote to the Tsar: “I adore driving your convertible, clinging all the way to your beautiful body, which is mine, I would have eaten it all" 5.

Based on this intimate confession, Alexander II could be located in the free space to the left of the “Unknown”. It is possible that Kramskoy originally intended to depict the Tsar next to his morganatic wife. Moreover, the emperor was often depicted either in a sleigh or in a carriage. In Yaroslavl art museum Nikolai Egorovich Sverchkov’s painting “Riding in a Stroller (Alexander II with Children)” is kept. Do a little thought experiment: in your own imagination, transfer the figure of the king from this canvas and sit him in the free place next to the “Unknown” - and may art critics forgive me for such blasphemy!

An engraving with a dotted line and a burin at the end of the first is also known. quarter of the XIX century: Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich (future Emperor Nicholas I, father of Alexander II) with his wife Alexandra Feodorovna sits in a carriage and masterfully rules the horses. The august couple is depicted against the background of the Anichkov Palace, in which they then lived 6. But to the left of the “Unknown” we also see the Anichkov Palace, which during the reign of Alexander II belonged to Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich.

A strong emotional arc ensues. The artist’s art unexpectedly removes the thick veil hiding an important secret of the Romanov dynasty.

Change of scenery

On July 6, 1880, after the death of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, the sovereign hastened to marry the princess in the “camp” church of Tsarskoye Selo. Ekaterina Mikhailovna received the title of Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya, and with her the children born before marriage - son George (Goga) and daughters Olga and Ekaterina; another son, Boris, died in infancy. Already in September 1880, the sovereign transferred Special Capital, amounting to 3,409,580 rubles 1 kopeck, to the disposal of Princess Yuryevskaya. Vera Borovikova, the princess’s maid, recalled that Alexander II began to openly ride in the same carriage with her mistress two weeks after the wedding: “... and everyone saw it in Tsarskoe Selo, but no one spoke aloud about the wedding” 8.

The high society was in shock, realizing that the matter would not be limited to walks between the emperor and his morganatic wife.

The dynastic crisis again came very close to the threshold of the House of Romanov. Actual Privy Councilor Anatoly Nikolaevich Kulomzin recalls: “... There were ominous rumors about the sovereign’s desire to crown Princess Yuryevskaya... All this worried to the core. ... It was ordered to find in the archives of the Ministry of the Court the ceremony of the coronation of Catherine I by Peter the Great. Having learned about In this case, the heir announced that if this event occurred, he and his wife and children would leave for Denmark, which was followed by a threat from Alexander II, in the event of such a departure, to declare George, born before marriage from Yuryevskaya, heir to the throne..." 9

The "Unknown" could have been crowned Catherine III.

Should have cooked Russian society to the fact that in the novel “What to do?”, cult book several generations of Russians was called a “change of scenery.”

Alexander II, who had reigned for a quarter of a century, dreamed of abdicating the throne and spending the rest of his life as a private person with Katenka - in Cairo or America. “Ah! How tired I am of everything, and what would I give to give up everything, go somewhere with you, angel of my soul, and live only for you” 10.

It was at this time that the recognized luminary portrait painting Kramskoy and received an order to paint a portrait of Princess Yuryevskaya. They asked not to advertise the order. This is my hypothesis. It is based on facts.

Can't see faces

In the fall of 1880, another fashionable and very expensive metropolitan artist, Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (the tsar called him “my painter” 11), painted in Livadia ceremonial portrait princesses. Count Sergei Dmitrievich Sheremetev, the Tsarevich’s favorite adjutant, wrote impartially about the unbearable atmosphere that had developed in the imperial residence: “... I witnessed a lot that I would not want to see, and an eyewitness to a troubled and gloomy era (the complete decay and decline of the charm of the tsarist power) ... Makovsky was making a portrait of Princess Yuryevskaya at that time; it was necessary to go and admire it. family life royal family It was hell."

The ceremonial portrait of Princess Yurievskaya, painted by Makovsky, which was considered lost, was recently discovered in Stockholm and on December 13, 2017, was sold at auction for a record 11 million crowns ($1.304 million).

Sergei Makovsky, the artist’s son, remembered a colorful detail: the artist began the painting in Livadia, painting the model’s face from life, and finished it in St. Petersburg, using the services of a model, who, for greater authenticity, posed for him in the blue hood of Princess Yuryevskaya. Apparently, Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna clearly lacked patience and perseverance. And portrait painters had to take this feature into account.

IN private collection Dushana Friedrich (Prague) contains a sketch by Kramskoy working hours above "Unknown" is a young woman in a stroller in the same pose. Something like the heroine of the picture. Although the face is rougher, and the look is certainly defiantly arrogant. In the entire appearance of this model there is some kind of unbearable and daring vulgarity.

Who is pictured? Most likely - a model. Maybe - lung woman behavior. Kramskoy wanted to capture the pose he needed, and at the same time painted the face for memory. The master prepared in advance so that when working on the portrait of Princess Yuryevskaya, he would not waste time on working out the details. Who knows if the impatient princess will want to pose for many sessions?!

But Kramskoy did not have the chance to realize this plan.

Canceled order shadow

Well-known events followed: on March 1, 1881, Alexander II was killed by a Narodnaya Volya bomb, and his son Alexander III took the throne. Princess Yurievskaya cut off her luxurious hair (long braid reached the floor) and placed them in the emperor’s coffin. Under open pressure from Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, the inconsolable widow first left her apartment in Winter Palace, and then completely left Russia with her children and settled in her own villa in Nice.

Kramskoy found himself unwittingly involved in someone else's family drama, while to all of her " acting persons"he treated Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna well (also, their portraits by Kramskoy are known). The order disappeared by itself - well, okay. But then what - spit and forget? Alas - that’s not how an artist works! An idea that sunk into soul, does not let go, it hurts, develops into another... In general, he begins to feverishly work on a completely different canvas.

Of course, there could now be no talk of any portrait resemblance between the “Unknown” and Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna.

Take another look at "Unknown". The heroine is alone in a double stroller. Logically, next to her there should be... Who is the man she loves? But he is no longer there. Dead? What's on the canvas in the background? Anichkov Palace is the one in which Alexander III lived quite recently. The heroine is leaving Anichkov Palace forever! And in her eyes there is an amazing range of feelings: pain, sadness, arrogance... But arrogance is of a special kind: you, the crowd on the street, have no right to gossip about me, to judge me...

And I no longer want to discuss the pretentiousness of the outfits of the proud and sad beauty riding along Nevsky. Kramskoy worked for centuries - who, centuries later, remembers the subtleties of the then fashion? Look at her face! It's stupid to say that this is someone's portrait. This is not a portrait at all. This picture is a different genre. And it was no longer Princess Yuryevskaya who was written. There is something in the heroine, perhaps from the model from the sketch. Something from his daughter Sofia, who often posed for her father. And most of all - from a woman about whom the artist himself thought. And don't ask who she is.

She is "Unknown".

“Unknown” appeared in the State Tretyakov Gallery only in 1925 - after the nationalization of one of the private collections.

1. Kirsanova R.M. Portrait of an unknown woman in a blue dress. M.: Kuchkovo pole, 2017. P. 370, 390.
2. Safronova Yu.A. Ekaterina Yuryevskaya. A novel in letters. SPb. 2017. P. 107.
3. Ibid. P. 121.
4. Ibid. P. 172.
5. Ibid. P. 163.
6. Rovinsky D.A. A complete dictionary of Russian engraved portraits. T. I: A - D. St. Petersburg. 1886. Stlb. 34. N 86.
7. Safronova Yu.A. Ekaterina Yuryevskaya. A novel in letters. SPb. 2017. P. 162.
8. Ibid. P. 226.
9. Kulomzin A.N. Experienced. Memories. M.: Political Encyclopedia, 2016. P. 313, 329.
10. Safronova Yu.A. Ekaterina Yuryevskaya. A novel in letters. SPb. 2017. P. 122.
11. Makovsky S.K. Portraits of contemporaries. M.: Agraf, 2000 // http://e-libra.ru/read/229599-portrety-sovremennikov.html

Kramskoy. Unknown. July 21, 1883 in St. Petersburg at the vernissage of the great portrait painter Ivan Kramskoy secular society was delighted, shocked, shocked and even offended. The portrait depicted a lady during an hour of walking along Nevsky Prospekt. She emerged from the winter fog in an open carriage. Leaning back in the stroller, the stranger looked at those around her with the pride of a woman aware of her charm. Her gaze could even be called arrogant, if not for the hidden sadness in her large, dark eyes.

The artist, whose attention and time were sought by the richest people of high society, exhibited “The Unknown,” which no one really knew, as the central canvas. How could this be, because she is so beautiful, so magnificently and exquisitely dressed.
– Truly respected Mr. Kramskoy decided to shock our audience at this exhibition!
– As for his portraits, they were all boring, dry and inexpressive. Here the master finally showed his elegance of taste.
– I think this face is essentially a fiction, inspired by the images of our respected writers!

This is how the public reacted to “Unknown”.

Kramskoy. Unknown. Anna Karenina?

Many were inclined to think that Kramskoy depicted Anna Karenina in the portrait. After all, everyone remembered that the first portrait of Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was painted by Kramskoy at the time when the writer was working on this work.

“By one glance of this lady, Vronsky determined that she belonged to high society. When he looked back, she also turned her head. Brilliant gray eyes, seemingly dark from thick eyelashes, rested friendly on his face, as if she recognized him. And immediately they were transported to the passing crowd, as if looking for someone.”

Kramskoy. Unknown. Nastasya Filippovna?

Although it is unlikely. At the first glance at the picture, viewers understood that it was not a noble lady depicted. Most likely - a rich kept woman. Nastasya Filippovna? In January 1881, Russia said goodbye to F.M. Dostoevsky. IN last years no one painted portraits of the writer. And Kramskoy himself, famous portrait painter, did not address this topic... How to fix this?

“The prince came closer to the light and began to look at the portrait of Nastasya Filippovna. The portrait truly depicted a woman of extraordinary beauty. The eyes are dark, deep, the forehead is thoughtful, as if there was immense pride and contempt, almost hatred, in this face. And at the same time, something trusting, something surprisingly simple-minded. These two contrasts seemed to arouse even some kind of compassion when looking at these features.”

Kramskoy. Unknown. Feedback from the public

“A cocotte in a stroller is not a painting, but an effort,” Stasov wrote to Tretyakov, “how far she is from the portraits of Grigorovich and Leo Tolstoy. How I wish the old Kramskoy was. I think he’s on a slippery slope now!”

Kramskoy was attacked by men, but he never named his model. Critics noted not only the beauty of the woman, but also her rare aristocratic type, the endless arrogance of a lady who knew no equal, masterfully conveyed by the artist.

Kramskoy. Unknown. The Mystery of the Portrait

The critics could be wrong. It was not arrogance, but grief and pain. They said that this was a tragedy for the artist himself. Bestuzheva’s nephew stopped by his aunt’s estate for just one day. He saw a young maid brought from the village, and, smitten, fell at the feet of his aunt, asking permission to marry. The aunt could not resist the requests of her beloved nephew and the young people got married.

It turned out to be very easy to teach the young Bestuzhev manners, as well as languages and singing. The ability to dress was given to her from above. And every man who entered the couple’s house became her slave. The young husband was tired of challenging his opponents to a duel. Kramskoy himself became a prisoner of the model’s beauty, and obtained permission to paint her portrait. The husband's jealousy reached the point of madness. When her relatives obtained permission for divorce, the young woman went to the village to live with her sister. Kramskoy rushed after her, but found only her grave. “Unknown” remained only on his canvas.

Too far-fetched? And the young Bestuzhev, if there was one, should have been known in the world... There was also talk about the Cinezelli circus, that the wife of the circus owner was depicted, especially since the portrait showed an ethnically southern type of person... Later, after the artist’s death, in his papers found pencil sketch female face, taken at the station, the features of which were very reminiscent of “Unknown”...

During his lifetime, the artist never revealed his secret... She still looks at us with her long, sad gaze...

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