Caption

Two profile busts en camaieu: Tsarevich Paul I Romanov and his wife Natalia Alexandrovna. Painted by Augustin Ritt 1765–1799. Monochrome grisaille miniature, 1790–1800, Russia; height 6.8 cm, width 5.8 cm. Male bust at left in a wig with a katogan, antique-style costume—a toga with paludamentum. Female bust at right with hair à la romaine with woven pearls falling in curls over the shoulders, corseted dress with a cape, fragment of an order star and sash. Very dark uniform background; narrow gold rim setting. Tortoiseshell reverse with mother-of-pearl inlay in the form of a basket with a garland of roses; a lock of light hair placed on the reverse. The anonymous couple evokes antique cameo patterns; Ritt achieves subtle relief effects and precise profile views, portraying the man in the guise of a Roman general emphasizing high rank. Previously attributed to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, now identified as Paul I and Natalia Alexeyevna., An oval pendant with a scalloped metal rim in a pale gold tone surrounds a dark, glossy central surface that shows swirling shades of deep green, brown, and black; at the top is a round metal loop in the same pale gold tone. Centered on the dark surface is a small decorative basket motif rendered in a metallic color, with a curved handle and a cluster of stylized flowers and leaves that display iridescent highlights in shades of green, blue, and silver.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A17_351

License type

Rights managed

Available size

36.6Mb (965.0Kb) / 11.9in x 11.9in / 3579 x 3579 (300dpi)

Keywords

Two profile busts en camaieu Tsarevich Paul I Romanov wife Natalia Alexandrovna Painted Augustin Ritt 1765–1799 Monochrome grisaille miniature 1790–1800 Russia height 6.8 cm width 5.8 cm Male bust left wig katogan antique-style costume toga paludamentum Female bust right hair à la romaine woven pearls falling curls shoulders corseted dress cape fragment order star sash dark uniform background narrow gold rim setting Tortoiseshell reverse mother-of-pearl inlay form basket garland roses lock light hair placed reverse anonymous couple evokes antique cameo patterns Ritt achieves subtle relief effects precise profile views portraying man guise Roman general emphasizing high rank Previously attributed Louis XVI Marie Antoinette now identified Paul I Natalia Alexeyevna oval pendant scalloped metal rim pale gold tone surrounds dark glossy central surface swirling shades deep green brown black top round metal loop pale gold tone Centered dark surface small decorative basket motif rendered metallic color curved handle cluster stylized flowers leaves display iridescent highlights shades green blue silver.