plate no. 3750

Portrait of Count G.G. Kushelev

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguresbustbuildinginteriorclothing

recreation guide

Vladimir Borovikovsky’s *Portrait of Count G.G. Kushelev* (1801) represents the height of his career as a portraitist, characterized by a fusion of classicist structure and sentimental expression. Borovikovsky is noted for his ability to convey the inner world of his subjects with subtle emotional depth, even within the restrained conventions of chamber portraiture (Source 4). His work from this period demonstrates a mastery of texture, particularly in rendering the softness of fabrics and the brilliance of ornaments, which serves to highlight the nobility and dignity of the sitter (Source 4). As a left-handed painter who did not teach at the Imperial Academy but maintained a private studio, his technique likely relied on a disciplined, craftsman-like approach to oil painting, emphasizing the vital qualities of the medium rather than mere illusionism (Source 4, Source 7).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (traditional palette)	Primary medium for the portrait	High-quality tube oils; historically likely included earth tones, whites, and specific flesh tones
Canvas or panel	Support for the painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Drawing materials (charcoal or graphite)	Underdrawing to establish form and likeness	Vine charcoal or graphite pencils
Mediums (oil of copavia or linseed oil)	For glazing and scumbling techniques	Stand oil or linseed oil mixed with turpentine

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to allow for the 'vital expression of nature' through the medium, avoiding a finish that merely tricks the eye into seeing reality rather than painted symbols (Source 7). Borovikovsky’s practice suggests a solid ground capable of supporting layered glazes, consistent with the old masters’ methods of building up color through transparent and semi-opaque layers (Source 6).

underdrawing

Borovikovsky’s portraits are known for their vivid expression and accurate likeness, requiring a strong initial drawing phase. The artist likely employed a method that allowed for 'minute visual expression' to become instinctive, ensuring that the form was established with artistic accuracy rather than just scientific precision (Source 8). Given his left-handedness, the underdrawing would have been executed with the dexterity characteristic of his skilled craftsmanship (Source 4).

underpainting

While specific records of Borovikovsky’s underpainting for this work are absent, the general practice of the time and the advice given to students suggest a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) might be used to establish tones before applying color. This method involves extracting red and yellow tones initially, then glazing them back in, which helps in harmonizing the composition (Source 6).

color palette

Flesh tones

White, red, yellow, and earth tones

Rendering the sitter’s face and hands, focusing on the 'modifications of the light on the model' (Source 2)

Deep backgrounds

Ultramarine, black, and white

Creating contrast and depth, consistent with the 'chiaro-scuro' effects described in color theory (Source 3)

Fabric and ornament colors

Varied pigments for velvet, satin, and gold

Demonstrating mastery of texture, such as the 'softness of velvet' and 'brilliance of gilded vestments' (Source 4)

composition

Borovikovsky’s portraits from this era often feature a restrained appearance with an interior background, focusing on the citizenship and dignity of the portrayed (Source 4). The composition likely emphasizes the sitter’s inner world through subtle emotional expression, avoiding overly dramatic gestures in favor of a chamber portrait style that conveys diversity of innermost feelings (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Establish the likeness and form with a detailed underdrawing, ensuring artistic accuracy that conveys the emotional significance of the sitter.
Tip — Focus on the 'vivid manner' of form rather than just commonplace appearance (Source 8).
Artistic Accuracy

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting to establish tones and values, potentially using a grisaille technique.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on structure and light (Source 6).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin applying color, paying attention to the law of simultaneous contrast to ensure colors harmonize with their surroundings.
Tip — Perceive how contiguous colors modify each other to avoid inaccurate color perception (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast

refining

step 04
Glaze and scumble to build up flesh tones and textures, using transparent coats of color over the dried underpainting.
Tip — Use oil of copavia or similar mediums to achieve the desired transparency and depth (Source 6).
Glazing and Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details such as jewelry and fabric textures, ensuring the 'softness of velvet' and 'sparkle of precious stones' are rendered with mastery.
Tip — Focus on the 'great effects' which allow small details to result naturally from contrast (Source 3).
Texture Rendering

critical techniques

Simultaneous Contrast

Used to harmonize colors and perceive modifications of light on the model, ensuring that colors appear true in relation to their surroundings (Source 2).

Glazing and Scumbling

Applied to build up color layers, particularly for flesh tones, using transparent and semi-opaque coats to achieve depth and realism (Source 6).

Texture Mastery

Essential for rendering the specific materials of the sitter’s attire, such as velvet and gold, which are hallmarks of Borovikovsky’s ceremonial portraits (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Failing to account for simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and disharmony in the composition (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a stiff and unnatural appearance (Source 1).
→Neglecting the vital qualities of the oil medium, resulting in a painting that merely tricks the eye rather than expressing feeling (Source 7).

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 for this particular portrait are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and support material (canvas vs. panel) for this specific work are not provided.
·Detailed step-by-step records of Borovikovsky’s personal studio practice for this specific painting are absent.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and improving finish (Source 1)
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques (Source 6)
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast for color harmony (Source 2)
- 6 — applied to Techniques for chiaroscuro and gradation of light (Source 3)
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of medium and avoiding mere illusionism (Source 7)
- FROM A STUDY BY BOTTICELLI — applied to Concept of artistic accuracy vs. scientific accuracy (Source 8)