Without giving too much away for my presentation tomorrow, I would like to discuss the beautiful early 19th century Russian paintings. As artistic expression began to include more concepts, artists flourished. Painters like Karl Briullov and Vasily Tropinin shifted from the traditional portraits to expressive moments captured in vivid detail. I was especially interested in the handful of women depicted in varying ways that varied from the rigid usual way:

Instead of propping this woman up in front of a mantle with her father (which still happened in these paintings, but…) Briullov depicts this woman as autonomous, impressive, and expressive. Her eyes are calm and confident, and her horse’s are wild and roused, but the child admiring her adept says the most. The young girl watches with hope and love in her eyes, dreaming that one day she will grow into a beautiful woman on a majestic horse.

Though this portrait is less groundbreaking, the naturalistic element of a bouquet of roses in an equal foreground with the subject is striking. The woman’s beauty is complemented and mirrored by an egalitarian appreciation for nature’s elegance — roses.

These two examples demonstrate a freeing of artistic expression and a new appreciation for the earth’s bounty and how lovely it can be replicated on canvas, especially in regards to women’s portrayal in early 19th century Russian art.