Portrait Of Catherine The Great 

Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder painted this oil on canvas portrait of Catherine the Great sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Consider the public role of art in Russia at this time. As a powerful female monarch during the Enlightenment, Catherine self-consciously cultivated an image of enlightened rule. This portrait shows us one version of how she wished to be seen by her subjects and by other European powers. The clothing is obviously luxurious, the pose formal, and the setting is grand. These details serve as visual cues to power and status. The artwork also reflects the artist's position as an institutional figure, supported and promoted by the court. To truly understand this image, we need to delve into Russian history, culture, and politics. Researching Catherine's reign, her patronage of the arts, and the role of portraiture in constructing political image would reveal the fascinating historical context of this painting.