Portrait of an unknown from the family of Miloradovichi

The artist is Argunov

The family of the nobles Miloradovich comes from Herzegovina. In Russia, the surname of Miloradovichi appears in 1711, when, according to the nomine, the decree of Emperor Peter I was summoned to Little Russian service from Serbia Mikhail Ilyich Miloradovich. For the valiant service and strengthening of communication with Chernihivites he was granted along with a large amount of money a reward – a portrait of Peter the Great, decorated with diamonds on the St. Andrew’s ribbon, as well as the estate in Little Russia. From this Mikhail Ilyich, the branch of the surname Miloradovichi came out, which later, thanks to the merits of the famous General of the Patriotic War, Mikhail Andreevich, introduced the count’s crown to her noble coat of arms with the image of the shield, the gold castle and the key from the serf gate. This coat of arms means the fortress and fidelity of the Russian service taken at night. Under the coat of arms, the motto: “Without fear and reproach”. The portrait is probably one of the representatives of this famous kind. Pair to the portrait of an unknown from the family of Miloradovichi. 1795. ZH -3280

More paired portraits of spouses, representing a certain compositional challenge for the artist, double portraits, when individual images of her husband and wives were built on compositional and coloristic symmetry. In addition to external, personal, social features of models, artists strive to convey the nature of their relationship. However, this character is not unique to this family, but quite normative, and includes universal components: spiritual kinship, affection, mutual understanding, tenderness, community of fate. As a rule, portraits of the XVIII century give their feelings a hint, shadow, reporting through the roll call of poses, gestures, views. Portraits of the ladies were often located on the right hand from the paired image of men, in accordance with this a composition was built: displacements of figures, turns, gestures echoed, as in a mirror reflection. Single portraits were written with such compositional calculation that a portrait of the spouse could appear nearby, they were complemented by portraits of children. Lyubov Shakirova. Family album of the Russian Museum // Portrait of Family. SPb, 2014. With. 6.