The image of a Russian woman

The poetic image of a Russian woman in the dress of the Moscow province is a portrait by the serf artist Count Sheremetev Ivan Argunov. The portrait was painted in 1784.

A mysterious and clear look, in which modesty and kindness shines, in all its appearance there is some kind of silence and tranquility. A beautiful female image conveys a special harmony of the inner world. He is full of dignity and nobility.

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A woman in a festive outfit - kokoshnikembroidered with gold threads, a red sundress with braids, sung more than once in Russian folk songs, a snow-white shirt and bright coral beads around the neck, which in Russia were called "draconites". Looking at the image of an unknown woman, you also feel some kind of peace in your soul, she, as it were, gives this feeling of silence, bewitches with her calmness. And for some reason I don't want to try to figure out what this woman is thinking, on the contrary, it is better to just stand quietly and look, look at her.

Researchers have long fought over the riddle - who this woman is. As always, many versions were put forward. And today experts have come to the conclusion that the portrait of I. Argunov depicts the artist of the Sheremetevs' Serf Theater - Anna Izumrudova-Buyanova.

All the Argunovs were serf craftsmen: Father Alexei, the famous modeler, who created the Kuskovo park vases, Brother Fyodor, the fortress architect, supervised the construction of the Greenhouse, Cascades and the Chinese House in Kuskovo. Ivan Argunov himself studied with Groot in his youth and even surpassed him.

In 1753, together with Antropov, Ivan Argunov was recognized as one of the best Russian artists. It was he who was given to study Losenko and Golovachevsky, in the future famous painters. The sons of Ivan Argunov became - one an architect, and the other two painters.

The richest national heritage is kept in museums, which is the property of the traditional culture of Russia. Looking at the masterpieces of art, you admire how wise and inventive a Russian person is, what rich spiritual opportunities he is endowed with.