Portraits of Russian Empresses: might and beauty

RBTH chose the finest portraits of Romanov Empresses. Some ruled in their own right, others were content with being the wife of the Emperor and a mother; some were Russian, others came from European dynasties. One thing unites them: all were mighty and beautiful, as depicted by many Russian artists. Catherine I (1684 – 1727), wife of Peter the Great, was Russia's ruling Empress for two years after the death of her husband in 1725. / Portrait of Catherine I, Jean – Marc Nattier, 1717.

Empress Catherine riding on a white horse wearing full-dress male uniform. A unique and unusual way to depict an Empress. / Equestrian portrait of Empress Catherine I with African servant, Georg Grooth, mid 18th century.

Anna Ioannovna (1693 - 1740), according to the last will of Empress Catherine I, became the new Empress. She was a daughter of Russian Tsar Ivan V Alekseyevich. / Portrait of Empress Anna Ioannovna, Unknown artist, 1730s.

The composition includes 26 figures gathered in the bedroom of Anna Ioannovna. The Empress is not well; she is in bed gazing at the court jesters. / Jesters at the court of Empress Anna, Valery Ivanovich Jacobi, 1872.

Elizabeth Petrovna (1709 - 1726) was the ruling Empress from 1741 until 1761, having assumed the throne after a palace revolution. A daughter of Peter the Great, she was born two years before her father officially married Catherine I. / Empress Elizabeth Petrovna at Tsarskoye Selo (a former residence of the Russian imperial family, 24 km south of St Petersburg), Yevgeny Lansere, 1905.

This painting satisfied all the official canons of parade portraiture – large format, static composition, accent on the social status of the Empress, detailed representation of the attributes of power. The smile symbolizes the kind nature of the Empress. / Portrait of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, Ivan Vishnyakov, 1743.

Catherine II (1729 - 1796) came to power following a coup d'état that displaced her husband Peter III. She was the ruling Empress during 1762-1796. Originally her name was Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg, and her father belonged to the ruling German family. / Portrait of Empress Catherine the Great, Fyodor Rokotov, 1763.

Natalya Alekseevna (1755 - 1776), the first wife of Pavel I, died at 21 after giving birth to her first child. Originally she was from a wealthy and notable family; her father was a Landgrave, Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt. / Portrait of Natalia Alexeievna of Russia, Alexander Roslin, 1776.

Maria Feodorovna (1759 –1828), the second wife of Russian Tsar Pavel. They had 10 children. Sophie Marie Dorothea Auguste Louise was born in Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia (now Poland), as the Duchess of Württemberg. / Portrait of Grand Duchess Marie Fyodorovna, Jean Louis Voilee, 1790s.

Elizabeth Alexeevna (1779 – 1826) was Empress of Russia by marriage to Emperor Alexander I. She was born in Karlsruhe (now Germany) as Princess Louise Maria Auguste of Baden of the House of Zähringen. / Elizabeth Alexeevna in mourning looking at the bust of her dead husband, Petr Basin, 1831.

Alexandra Feodorovna (1798 – 1860), the wife of Emperor Nicholas I. She was born as Princess Charlotte of Prussia. / Depicted wearing Russian court dress. Portrait of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, A. Malyukov, 1836.

Maria Alexandrovna (1824 –1880) was Empress of Russia as the wife of Emperor Alexander II. She was born in Darmstadt and a daughter of the Grand Duchess Wihelmine of Hesse. / Portrait of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, Franz Winterhalter, 1857.

Maria Feodorovna (1847 –1928), christened Dagmar, was a Danish princess who became Empress of Russia as the spouse of Emperor Alexander III of Russia. / Portrait of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Vladimir Makovsky, 1912.

Alexandra Feodorovna (1872 –1918), Empress of Russia as the spouse of Nicholai II, the last Emperor of the Russian Empire. Born as Alix of Hesse and the Rhine, she was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. / Portrait of Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, Nikolay Bodarevskyi, 1907.