Fürstin Maria von Stackelberg 

Anton Romako painted this portrait of Fürstin Maria von Stackelberg sometime in the 19th century. It is hard to look at this painting and not think about class and the social expectations placed on women of aristocratic status during this period. Maria's lavish attire, complete with cameos and gold jewelry, speaks to her privileged position. Yet, her gaze, directed slightly off to the side, hints at an inner world, perhaps one of constraint or longing. The fan she holds becomes a prop, a tool for navigating social rituals. Romako, through his painterly style, captures something of the tension between outward presentation and inner life. He presents us with the formal trappings of wealth and status while also suggesting a more complex, interior emotional landscape. It makes you wonder: What was the price of such finery, and what was lost in the performance of identity?