Fyodor Ivanovich Mosolov, Russian General 

Curator: Here we see George Dawe's "Fyodor Ivanovich Mosolov, Russian General," an oil painting currently held at the Hermitage Museum. Dawe was commissioned to paint a great number of portraits of Russian generals. Editor: My initial impression is of formality tinged with…an unexpected softness. The colour palette is muted, predominantly earthy tones, but his face is so round. It almost humanizes this imposing figure. Curator: It is interesting that you note the "softness." Dawe produced these portraits during a surge of national pride after the Napoleonic Wars. So there was a push to cement Russia's military prowess and valorize the individuals central to that. Editor: I see your point, but consider how Dawe employs light. The soft illumination on Mosolov’s face makes him look contemplative, vulnerable almost. It's not the hard, chiseled look one might expect in a military portrait designed to project strength. The impasto of paint around the embellishments on the uniform make a glorious shimmer, drawing your attention away from a fixed heroic gaze. Curator: Indeed, that's part of what makes these portraits so compelling, even radical. Dawe managed to infuse the rigid conventions of military portraiture with a degree of individuality, humanizing those who played key roles. It challenged that old establishment. I think this adds so much context to Dawe as an artist as well. Editor: And by shifting the focus, even slightly, from idealized heroism to something more nuanced and personal, Dawe offers viewers of today the space to explore that narrative. It asks us what power and duty meant, versus personal identity and humanity. Curator: Very well said. It gives a lot of room for interpretation, rather than taking away. Editor: Absolutely, a nice break for what could easily have just been a rote symbol.