plate no. 3249

Portrait of Elena Alexandrovna Naryshkina

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfigureroseslandscapetreesclothing

what to study here

It shows how a narrow, high-key range on the face against a dark ground, with soft edges, makes a portrait read as luminous.

Study how the painter controls value to make a face the focal point. The visionGuide places the face and neck at roughly 8–9 on a 10-step scale against a background of 2–4. Even the facial shadows stay around 6–7, so the skin reads as lit throughout and never turns heavy. Squint and three masses appear: bright face and neck, mid-tone clothing (dress about 7–8, blue shawl about 5), and a deep, near-black background with dark greenery on the right. Light comes from the upper left. The hair sits at 3–4 and partly merges into the background, which helps the head emerge without a hard outline. The guide describes the face, neck and upper body as having no visible brushstrokes, with soft edges where light meets shadow and where figure meets ground. Firmer edges appear only on the foreground roses and vase. The cool blue shawl against warm skin is a small, deliberate temperature contrast. Copy the value plan and edge hierarchy before worrying about color mixes.

key decision

The painter kept even the facial shadows light (about 6–7 on a 10-step scale) while dropping the background to 2–4, so the face stays luminous and dominant. Edges are softened where the figure meets the dark ground.

recreation guide

Vladimir Borovikovsky’s *Portrait of Elena Alexandrovna Naryshkina* (1799) exemplifies the artist’s dominance in Russian portraiture at the turn of the 19th century, characterized by an intimate, sentimental style that subtly conveys the inner world of the sitter (Source 7). As a court painter for Catherine the Great, Borovikovsky’s work from this period reflects a fusion of classicist and sentimental aesthetics, often focusing on the ideal of beauty prevalent in his era (Source 7). The painting likely employs the sophisticated oil techniques common to the 'old masters' of the time, including the use of glazing and scumbling to achieve rich, luminous flesh tones and textures, a method championed by contemporaries like Sir Joshua Reynolds and practiced by Borovikovsky’s mentors (Source 1, Source 6).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil-primed canvas	Support for the painting, consistent with 18th-century European and Russian academic practice.	Pre-primed linen or cotton canvas
Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color density.	Refined linseed oil or cold-pressed poppy oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes.	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Oil of Copavia (or Dammar resin)	Medium for glazing layers, as cited in Reynolds’ method which influenced the period’s academic practice.	Dammar varnish or stand oil
Pigments: White Lead, Ultramarine, Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre	Core palette for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing, reflecting the limited but effective palettes of the era.	Titanium White (or Flake White for authenticity), Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre
Vermilion or Cinnabar	For red tones in glazing, historically significant in the period.	Cadmium Red Light or Quinacridone Magenta (for safety)

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a traditional oil ground. While specific details of Borovikovsky’s ground are not explicitly detailed in the sources, the period’s academic practice involved priming with oil and pigment to create a smooth, absorbent surface suitable for glazing techniques (Source 4). The artist’s training under Dmitry Levitzky and Johann Baptist Lampi suggests adherence to Imperial Academy standards, which favored well-prepared surfaces for detailed portraiture (Source 6).

underdrawing

Borovikovsky’s preparatory methods are not explicitly described in the provided sources. However, given his academic training and the precision of his portraits, a careful underdrawing in charcoal or thinned oil is likely. The sources do not provide evidence of spontaneous sketching; rather, his work implies a structured approach to capturing the 'inner world' and 'ideal of beauty' (Source 7).

underpainting

A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended, following the method described by Sir Joshua Reynolds, which was influential in the period. This involves painting the initial layers with black, ultramarine, and white using oil of copavia as a medium, establishing the tonal values before adding color (Source 1). This technique allows for the mental extraction of red and yellow tones, leaving a neutral base for subsequent glazing (Source 1).

color palette

White

White Lead or Titanium White

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille underpainting.

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Shadows and defining forms in the grisaille stage.

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine

Cool shadows and mixing with white/black for the monochrome underpainting.

Red Ochre/Vermilion

Red Ochre or Cinnabar

Glazing flesh tones and warm highlights, applied transparently over the dry grisaille.

Yellow Ochre

Warm glazes and scumbling to adjust tone and temperature.

composition

Borovikovsky’s portraits from this period are characterized as 'intimate' and 'chamber portraits' that focus on the sitter’s personality and inner feelings rather than grand ceremonial settings (Source 7). The composition likely emphasizes the face and upper body, with a restrained background that does not distract from the subject’s expression. The artist’s ability to convey 'diversity of innermost feelings' suggests a careful arrangement of light and shadow to highlight the facial features (Source 7).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Transfer the sketch to the prepared canvas using charcoal or thinned oil. Focus on accurate proportions and the subtle expression characteristic of Borovikovsky’s intimate style.
Tip — Ensure the drawing captures the 'ideal of beauty' and the sitter’s inner world, as emphasized in the artist’s practice.
Transfer

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium). Establish the full range of tonal values, from deep shadows to bright highlights.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on the structural forms and light modifications.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, begin glazing with transparent layers of red and yellow tones using oil or a mix of varnish and oil. Apply these colors much like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Use thin, transparent layers to build up color depth without obscuring the underlying tonal structure.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create coldness or warmth where needed. Pay attention to the simultaneous contrast of colors, ensuring that adjacent hues enhance each other’s intensity.
Tip — Be aware of mixed contrast; the eye may perceive colors inaccurately after prolonged viewing of a single hue. Step back frequently to assess true color relationships.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details, particularly in the eyes and facial features, to convey the 'subtle' inner world of the sitter. Ensure that the gradation of light and shadow creates a true chiaroscuro effect, enhancing the three-dimensionality of the face.
Tip — Focus on the 'great effects' of light and shadow, allowing smaller details to emerge naturally from the contrast.
Chiaroscuro

varnishing

step 06
Once the painting is fully dry, apply a protective varnish. This may include a resin-based varnish to enhance the sheen and protect the layers, consistent with historical practices.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build up color and tone over a dry grisaille underpainting. Glazing involves transparent layers, while scumbling uses semi-opaque paint to modify underlying tones. This method was common among old masters and cited by Reynolds.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This helps in accurately rendering flesh tones and ensuring harmonious color relationships in the portrait.

Chiaroscuro

Creating depth and volume through the gradation of light and shadow. This technique enhances the three-dimensional quality of the portrait and focuses attention on the sitter’s expression.

common pitfalls

→Applying thick, opaque paint over wet underpainting, which can muddy the colors and obscure the tonal structure. Wait for the grisaille to dry completely before glazing (Source 1).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception. Be mindful of how adjacent hues influence each other (Source 2).
→Overworking the details, which can detract from the 'intimate' and 'subtle' quality of the portrait. Focus on the overall effect of light and shadow rather than excessive detail (Source 7).
→Using a palette that is too limited or too broad without understanding the chemical interactions. Stick to stable pigments and avoid mixing incompatible substances (Source 8).

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 details of Borovikovsky’s personal palette and pigment choices are not provided in the sources.
·The exact composition and visual details of *Portrait of Elena Alexandrovna Naryshkina* are not described in the sources, so the guide relies on general characteristics of his work.
·Information on Borovikovsky’s specific brushwork or handling of paint is limited, though his mastery of texture is noted (Source 7).
·The sources do not detail the specific varnishing techniques used by Borovikovsky, though general period practices are inferred.

grounded in

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

The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Discussion of pigments and the importance of using stable, substantial coloring matters.
- CHAPTER IV. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Techniques of glazing and scumbling, and the use of oil of copavia.
- CHAPTER III. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and its effects on color perception.
- CHAPTER II. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Chiaroscuro and the gradation of light and shadow.
- CHAPTER I. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to General principles of painting and the use of varnish.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Vladimir Borovikovsky↗
- Biography and Style — applied to Characteristics of Borovikovsky’s portraits, including intimacy, sentimentality, and focus on the inner world.

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

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light streams from the upper left, bathing the young woman's face and neck in luminous warmth while the right side of her form and the entire background fall into shadow. The eye is drawn immediately to her face—the brightest, most sharply defined element—which sits like a glowing focal point against the dark, atmospheric landscape behind her. The foreground roses in the lower left anchor the composition and echo the warmth of her skin, while the cool blue shawl across her shoulders creates a subtle chromatic anchor. The background landscape is suggested rather than detailed, with dark greenery merging into near-black shadow on the right, creating atmospheric recession.

value structure

The face and upper body are rendered in the lightest value range—roughly 8–9 on a 10-step scale—against a background that drops dramatically to 2–4. The dress reads as 7–8, while the shawl is a mid-tone blue around 5. The shadows on her face are never dark, staying in the 6–7 range, which preserves the luminous quality. Squint and you'll see three clear value masses: the bright face/neck zone, the mid-tone clothing, and the deep, nearly black background. The hair sits at 3–4, darker than the background in places but integrated into it elsewhere.

observed palette and mixes

#f5e6d3
Titanium white + burnt umber + cadmium red, mixed warm
Face, neck, and upper décolletage—the core light area with subtle peachy undertone
#3d2817
Burnt umber + ultramarine blue + cadmium red
Hair shadow and depth, the darkest value in the curls
#8b7b6e
Burnt umber + ultramarine + titanium white
Mid-tone shadows on the face, under the cheekbone and jaw
#6a8ba8
Ultramarine blue + titanium white + touch of burnt umber
The blue shawl draped across her shoulders
#c9889a
Cadmium red + titanium white + burnt umber
The pink-red roses in the foreground vase
#1a1a2e
Ultramarine blue + burnt umber + touch of cadmium red
Deep background shadow on the right and around the foliage

edges and brushwork

This painting is a study in soft edges and seamless blending. The entire face, neck, and upper body are rendered with no visible brushstrokes—instead, subtle gradations and glazes create the illusion of form. Edges are softest where light meets shadow on the face and where the figure meets the background, allowing the figure to emerge without harsh delineation. The only slightly firmer edges appear on the flowers and vase in the foreground, and even these maintain the refined quality of the work. This demands a slow, patient approach with dry-brush blending and multiple thin glazes rather than aggressive brushwork.

a working sequence

01
Composition and structure
Lightly block in the figure's proportions using charcoal or diluted burnt umber. Pay special attention to the three-quarter head tilt, the slope of the shoulders, and the placement of the hands. The face should occupy roughly the upper-center third of your composition, with the foreground flowers anchoring the lower left. Establish the silhouette of the hair mass—it's substantial and frames the face dramatically.
02
Underpainting and background
Thin burnt umber and ultramarine blue to create an underpainting that establishes value relationships. Block in the dark background, leaving the face area largely untouched. The background should be warm-toned on the left (suggesting a landscape), cooling and darkening dramatically toward the right. This underpainting is your value roadmap.
03
Hair foundation
Establish the hair's basic shape and value using burnt umber with touches of ultramarine. The hair is a deep, rich brown—not black, but close. Indicate the major curl masses and the direction of light catching the top and left side. Leave the underpainting showing where shadows will deepen further.
04
Face block-in
Mix your primary flesh tone: titanium white + burnt umber + cadmium red, kept warm. Apply this across the entire face as a mid-tone base. Block in the large shadow planes—cheekbone shadow, jaw shadow, temple shadow—using the same mix darkened with more burnt umber and ultramarine. Keep everything soft and suggestive; you're establishing the underlying form, not details.
05
Facial features and modeling
Refine the face with multiple thin layers, building luminosity and subtle color shifts. The forehead catches the most light—keep it very light. The cheeks have a gentle warm blush; the eyes have a coolish undertone. Model the nose with soft shadows on the left side (shadow side). The lips are a muted mauve-red, not prominent. Work slowly, allowing each layer to dry slightly before adding the next. The eye contact is calm and direct—capture this through careful placement of the iris and soft highlighting in the eye.
06
Clothing and drapery
Paint the white dress using titanium white tinted very slightly with burnt umber to avoid chalkiness. The fabric has subtle warm and cool shifts depending on the angle—some folds catch warmer light, others cool shadow. The blue shawl wrapped across her shoulders should be cooler (ultramarine + white), creating a gentle chromatic contrast. Pay attention to the fabric's volume and the weight of the draping at the arm.
07
Hands and foreground flowers
Bring forward the hands with the same flesh-tone approach as the face, but slightly more muted. The hand holding white roses should remain delicate and refined. Paint the roses in the foreground vase with cadmium red mixed with white for the lights; deepen with burnt umber and more red for shadow. The vase is very dark—use ultramarine + burnt umber to near-black. Small white roses at the base add visual rhythm.
08
Final integration and glazing
Step back and assess the overall balance. The figure should feel luminous and present against the dark background. Apply thin glazes to soften any transitions that appear too abrupt—a glaze of diluted flesh tone over some background edges, a subtle green glaze to warm the shadow areas. Deepen the background foliage on the right if needed. The final step is ensuring that the entire work feels unified by consistent, soft handling. Allow edges to breathe; resist the urge to sharpen anything except the eyes.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Overworking the face—this painting's beauty lies in restraint and subtlety. Stop blending before you think you're done; less is more.
Making the background too light or too colorful. It must recede dramatically; the dark values and muted greens are essential for pushing the figure forward.
Painting the flesh tone too pink or orange. It's warm, yes, but it's also quite pale and nuanced—test your mix on paper first.
Losing the hair's dimension by making it a flat brown. The curls need highlights and reflected light to feel three-dimensional; squint to see where the light catches.

measured difficulty