Minas Lazarev Borovikovsky 

Vladimir Borovikovsky painted this portrait of Minas Lazarev in oil on canvas; its date is unknown. Lazarev's confident gaze and erect posture reflect the values of the 19th-century Russian elite. The medals on his chest are more than decorative; they signify service and loyalty to the state, values prized by the Russian aristocracy. Borovikovsky, trained at the Imperial Academy of Arts, made a name for himself painting portraits of the Russian elite, but the historical context is critical. Underneath the polished surface of courtly life, Russia was a society undergoing considerable social and political change. Historians can use archival materials like letters and diaries to reconstruct the lives and values of people like Lazarev and gain a better understanding of the complex social fabric of 19th-century Russia.