Kirill Alexandrovich Naryshkin 1825

George Dawe painted this portrait of Kirill Alexandrovich Naryshkin using oil on canvas. Dawe was celebrated for his ability to capture a likeness quickly. His portraits often emphasized the sitter's social standing through careful depictions of clothing and bearing, more than any psychological depth. Here, Naryshkin's tailored coat and neatly tied cravat are rendered with meticulous detail. Dawe's technique was efficient. He laid in broad areas of color, then built up the details with smooth, almost glazed brushwork. While Dawe’s portraits were celebrated, they also involved a system of artistic production. Dawe had assistants, who would prepare the canvases and block in the basic forms. This division of labor allowed Dawe to churn out portraits quickly. The images were status symbols for those depicted, but also commodities within a market economy, where efficiency and speed were valued. Paying attention to the material and methods of production in this portrait helps us to better understand the social and cultural context. The making of such portraits, and the lives of those depicted within, were both tied to wider issues of labor, class, and consumption.