Portrait of Maria Alexeevna Dyakova. 1778
Dmitry Levitsky (1735-1822) is a master of the portrait genre. The future artist was born in Kiev in the family of the famous Ukrainian engraver G. K. Levitsky.
Levitsky's work is one of the brightest pages in the history of Russian art. He is known as an outstanding master of Russian portrait of the 18th century.
Levitsky heroine of the portrait was the daughter of an influential nobleman at the Catherine court. In 1779, it is against the wishes of the parents entered into a secret marriage with N..Lvov – a bright man, gifted with many talents – architect, musician, poet, engineer, public figure. Four years later Dyakova's family recognizes marriage of the daughter.
In the image of Maria Dyakova embodied the aesthetic ideal of the Enlightenment. The young charm, the charm of the heroine of the portrait for the attentive viewer of those years is a reflection of the beauty of her inner world, spiritual properties. Soft color transitions, sliding, transparent shadows, color, built on the finest combinations of greenish-olive, Golden and pale pink tones.