plate no. 4328

Elisabeth Alexeievna Tsarina of Russia

oilRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingcrownhistoricaljewelry

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Vladimir Borovikovsky’s 1814 portrait of Elisabeth Alexeievna, Tsarina of Russia. Borovikovsky was a prominent portraitist in late 18th and early 19th-century Russia, known for fusing classicist and sentimental styles (Source 4). By the 1810s, his work shifted toward depicting strong, energetic personalities with a focus on citizenship, nobility, and dignity, often replacing landscape backgrounds with interior settings (Source 4). His ceremonial portraits are noted for their mastery of texture, specifically the softness of velvet, the brilliance of gilded and satin vestments, and the sparkle of precious stones (Source 4). The artist characteristically conveyed the inner world of his subjects through subtle emotional expression within a chamber portrait format (Source 4).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for grisaille and glazing as per traditional old master methods	Artist-grade oil paints
Linseed oil	Medium for mixing paint and glazing	Refined linseed oil
Oil of Copavia (or modern resinous medium)	Historical medium used by Reynolds and likely contemporaries for initial layers	Dammar resin in turpentine or modern alkyd medium
Mineral spirits/Turpentine	Thinner for initial sketching and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas, primed
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching of the subject	Vine charcoal or thinned raw umber

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming recipes for Borovikovsky are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting of this period typically involved a white or off-white gesso ground to allow for the layering techniques described. The surface must be smooth enough to support the fine detail required for facial likeness and texture rendering.

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 2). Borovikovsky’s portraits require precise likeness and attention to the 'inner world' of the sitter, so the underdrawing should focus on accurate proportions and the subtle expression characteristic of his sentimental style (Source 4).

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). Mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if these colors were not present (Source 1). This layer establishes the tonal values and forms. Use black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar resinous medium) for the first and second paintings, as was the established method of Sir Joshua Reynolds, a contemporary influence on portraiture (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Grisaille underpainting and cool shadows

White

Lead white or modern titanium/zinc white

Highlights and mixing in grisaille

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Shadows and grisaille underpainting

Red

Vermilion or red lake

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones

Yellow

Yellow ochre or lead-tin yellow

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones

composition

Borovikovsky’s 1810s portraits often feature interior backgrounds rather than landscapes, focusing on the sitter’s dignity and nobility (Source 4). The composition likely emphasizes the subject’s attire, showcasing textures like velvet and satin, which were hallmarks of his ceremonial portraits (Source 4). The arrangement should reflect the 'chamber portrait' style, creating an intimate yet dignified space (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the subject using charcoal or thinned paint, focusing on accurate likeness and subtle expression.
Tip — Ensure the proportions are correct, as Borovikovsky’s work relies on precise representation.
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Exclude red and yellow tones.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to establish pure tonal values.
Monochrome underpainting

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Introduce yellow and red tones as they occur in the subject.
Tip — Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors, building up color transparently.
Glazing and scumbling

refining

step 04
Apply subsequent layers of paint, ensuring each layer contains more oil than the previous one ('fat over lean').
Tip — This prevents cracking and peeling. Use linseed oil or other solvents to adjust consistency.
Fat over lean

finishing

step 05
Render textures of velvet, satin, and precious stones with careful brushwork, leveraging the artist’s mastery of material depiction.
Tip — Focus on the brilliance and softness of materials, as seen in Borovikovsky’s ceremonial portraits.
Texture rendering

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance depth.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is a semi-opaque painting through which the underlying layer shows. This method was practiced by old masters to build up color and depth.

Fat Over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking.

Monochrome Underpainting

Starting with a grisaille (monochrome) layer to establish values before adding color, a technique used by Reynolds and other old masters.

common pitfalls

→Applying layers with less oil than the previous layer, leading to cracking and peeling (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Copying works like Reynolds’s 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' can help correct this tendency (Source 3).
→Ignoring the simultaneous contrast of colors, which can lead to inaccurate color perception and application (Source 5).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigments used by Borovikovsky are not detailed in the sources; general old master pigments are inferred.
·Exact brush types and sizes used by Borovikovsky are not specified.
·The specific interior background details for this particular portrait are not described in the sources, so general compositional habits are used.
·Borovikovsky’s specific varnishing practices are not detailed; general oil painting varnishing is assumed.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting and glazing techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Correcting over-modeling and outline adherence
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color perception and contrast principles

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials and application rules like 'fat over lean'
Wikipedia bio — Vladimir Borovikovsky↗
- part 2 — applied to Artist’s style, texture mastery, and compositional shifts in the 1810s

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

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