Johann Rombauer. Portrait of Vyrubova

This female portrait of 1815 was painted by Johann Rombauer (1782–1849), a Slovak portraitist of German origin. He came to Russia in 1806 and until 1824 worked in St Petersburg, where he received commissions from the nobility. The New Jerusalem Museum names his portraits among the most interesting works by foreign artists active in Russia in the 19th century.

The sitter, identified in the catalogue as Vyrubova, sits in front of a harpsichord, turned towards the viewer. Her right arm rests on the back of a chair, and in her left hand, lying in her lap, she holds a roll of sheet music. She wears a light white dress with a deep neckline, tied under the bust with a ribbon in a bow, with lace and ruffles along the neckline and sleeves.

A blue shawl with an embroidered edge is thrown over the back of the chair, whose frame is shaped like a sphinx. The portrait is painted against a dark brown background, with a column on the left. Oil on canvas.