“Portrait of A. A. Kurakina” and “Portrait of I. B. Kurakin” – were received in the collection from the famous collection of princes Kurakin. “Portrait of I. B. Kurakin” acted as the work of an unknown author and was in the gallery’s storeroom. The canvas was severely deformed, broken through, the painting was polluted, the paint layer crumbled in places. Restored by A. I. Sadikova in 1978.
The artistic image, full of deep lyricism, of special reverie, is combined with a true transfer of the distinctive features of the young Prince Ivan Kurakin, far from the ideal of beauty. His face in the portrait is full of the living breath of life, of some special movement, of a rush; a slight smile, an enlightened gaze convey the changeability of moods, the carelessness of youth, faith in the fulfillment of hopes, in the future…