Portrait Competition Alexandrovna Rumin. 1826. H., m. 62. 3h53. 5 RM Orest Adamovich Kiprensky (1782-1836)

The portrait presents a young woman within an oval format, characteristic of early nineteenth-century depictions. She is positioned in a three-quarter view, her gaze directed towards the viewer with a subtle, almost melancholic expression. The composition emphasizes her face and upper torso, minimizing background detail.
Her hair, dark and elaborately styled, dominates the upper portion of the frame. It’s arranged in tight ringlets that cascade around her face and are gathered into a prominent knot at the crown. This hairstyle, fashionable for the period, suggests a certain social standing and adherence to contemporary aesthetic ideals. The texture of the hair is rendered with considerable skill, demonstrating an attention to detail typical of academic portraiture.
The woman’s skin tone is pale, accentuated by the dark color of her hair and the surrounding shadows. Her features are delicate: a slender nose, full lips slightly parted, and large, expressive eyes that convey a sense of introspection. The artist has employed subtle shading around the eyes to create an impression of depth and vulnerability.
She wears a dress with a low neckline, revealing a glimpse of her shoulders and upper chest. A dark fur stole is draped across her shoulders, adding a touch of luxury and warmth to the scene. The fabric’s texture is convincingly portrayed through careful brushwork. The color palette is restrained, primarily consisting of muted browns, creams, and touches of red in the dress. This limited range contributes to the overall somber mood.
The background is dark and indistinct, serving to isolate the figure and draw attention to her face. The oval format itself creates a sense of intimacy and enclosure, as if the viewer is granted a private glimpse into the woman’s world.
Subtly, theres an air of quiet dignity about the subject. Her pose isn’t overtly flirtatious or demonstrative; rather, it suggests a reserved nature and perhaps even a degree of sadness. The overall effect is one of restrained elegance and understated emotion, indicative of a portrait intended to convey not only physical likeness but also character and social status.