Portrait of Alexander F. Shcherbatov 1826

George Dawe painted this portrait of Alexander F. Shcherbatov in 1826. Dawe, an English portrait artist, gained renown in Russia for his portraits of military figures after the Napoleonic Wars. Consider the social and political context in which this portrait was created. Shcherbatov, a member of the Russian aristocracy and a military general, embodies the power and privilege of his class. Note the numerous medals and decorations, symbols of his service to the Tsar and the Russian Empire. Dawe's commission to paint portraits of Russian generals, including Shcherbatov, speaks to the construction of national identity through art. These portraits were not merely likenesses, but served to celebrate Russian military achievements and reinforce the image of a strong, imperial power. The portrait participates in the traditional representation of male authority but also hints at the personal cost of war, visible in Shcherbatov's solemn expression. This portrait offers a glimpse into the intertwined relationship between art, power, and identity in 19th-century Russia, reflecting both the glory and the human toll of imperial ambition.