Portrait of Adam Adamovich Menelas 

Vladimir Borovikovsky painted this portrait of Adam Adamovich Menelas using oils to capture a sense of his character. Notice the cascading frills of Menelas’s jabot. Such ornamentation was not merely decorative; it signaled status and refinement during a period of strict courtly etiquette. Similar displays can be traced back through history from ancient Roman togas to the ruffs worn during the Renaissance. Each iteration served as a visual language of hierarchy and identity. Consider, too, how these fashions emerge and re-emerge across centuries. The flamboyant neckwear evokes a sense of theatricality, reflecting an era deeply invested in performance and self-presentation. Thus, these sartorial choices transcend mere fashion; they are potent carriers of cultural memory, continuously shaping and reshaping our understanding of social roles and individual expression. It is an echo resonating through the corridors of time, ever evolving yet forever tethered to its origins.