This is the best creation of Kiprensky, a portrait painting, for which he was first known and for which he received the title of academician. The portrait is written in the spirit of a new one. romantic school: a figure in full growth, in a picturesque hussar costume profitable for the portraitist, through the character of the portrayed express the character of the whole young generation of the Russian army, which was to defend the honor and independence of its homeland in a short time, to break the backbone of the invincible enemy who conquered all Europe.
Orest put his whole soul into the picture. Arms up, stands, leaning with his left hand on a stone slab, and steeply curved right – on his own side, handsome – a mustachioed hussar with black curly curls and whiskers. The gold embroidery shines on the scarlet ceremonial mentika, the gold of the sword, on the handle of which rests the brush of the left hand, and the shako. A soft light outlines the contour of the figure, reflected on the wall behind the head of the hussar. The shako, carelessly thrown on the stone ledge to the left of the figure, and the saber on which the hussar leans with his left hand – all this eloquently speaks about the personality of the hero. Davydov is depicted in the background of a landscape with thunderclouds, foreshadowing a clearing storm.
Thick shadows and sliding light spots highlight the figure of the warrior, the contrasting contrast between the red color of the hussar jacket and the sparkling white losin to the dark landscape background gives the image of Davydov a romantic exhilaration. In the work the passion of the character of Davydov was transferred with exceptional force. She shows in all his appearance – in a few picturesque pose, in the hot look of dark eyes, in unruly curls of hair. In the picture, the artist wants to say about Davidov’s quest for a feat for the glory of his homeland, which is the personal happiness of this man.
It should be noted that until now there are disputes, which of the family Davydov, with whom Kiprensky was friends, he portrayed in a portrait. The fact is that according to the description by contemporaries, the image did not match up to the end to any of the young Davydovs. Most likely, it is still a collective image of the war hero, as he appeared to Kiprensky.
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