Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev

Boris Kustodiev, a master of many painting genres, is most highly acclaimed for his portraits of the Russian nobility and important St. Petersburg social figures.  The Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder is a tribute to a renowned historical figure who is credited as the savior of the Romanov jewels, presided over the Imperial Academy of Arts and whose husband was an important patron and supporter of Russian avant-garde theatre and art at the turn of the century. This newly rediscovered masterpiece is also a superb example of Boris Kustodiev’s portraiture.

An outstanding genre painter, his teacher, Ilya Efimovich Repin called Kustodiev the “hero of Russian art.” Kustodiev received several commissions from the Tsar and his court, and his portraiture earned him special recognition from contemporary critics and scholars. In Portraits of Women by Contemporary Russian Artists, the critic Sergei Makovsky writes: “Not all our portrait painters take so long to win recognition. Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev has, for a certain time, been a recognized master of portrait painting even in St. Petersburg, whose society is so indifferent to art” (V. Lebedeva, Boris Kustodiev, p.79).

This spectacular, elegant portrait of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder (1854-1920), is dated 1913.  Kustodiev completed the painting almost two years after making his initial study, which is in the collection of the Yaroslavl Art Museum (see fig. 1). Maria Pavlovna was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Friederich Franz II and Augusta of Reuss Kostritz. The Princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a key figure in the life of the Russian capital after her union with Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia (1847-1909), son of Emperor Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna, borne Princess of Hesse.  The Grand Duchess, was given the title The Orthodox Grand Duchess by Emperor Nicholas II when she converted to the Orthodox faith thirty-four years into her marriage to Grand Duke Vladimir.

Grand Duke Vladimir was President of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg and took a special interest in the ballet.  In 1907 he befriended Sergei Diaghilev, the artistic impresario who brought unprecedented innovation to the Russian theatre.  Diaghilev’s dream was to showcase the talent of progressive Russian artists, musicians and dancers. Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich supported Diaghilev’s dream with his own finances. Indeed, Diaghilev’s troupe, the Ballet Russe (based at the Mariinski theatre), would dazzle the world with dynamic, avant-garde Russian art between 1909 and 1914.  Diaghilev blended music, poetry, painting and dancing in a way that had never been done before. The Grand Duke’s support and leadership allowed many artists to flourish beyond the conservative boundaries and culture of the Royal court.  The Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna took over the Presidency of the institution after the death of her late husband, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich in 1909 (see fig.2).

Diaghilev employed Kustodiev on a number of occasions as a set designer for the Ballet Russes.  His work with Diaghilev would have a profound influence on his career as it brought him into contact with other avant-garde artists.  Kustodiev’s work with the Ballet Russes also brought him fame and honors such as his election into the Imperial Academy of the Arts in 1909. 

Diaghilev was also one of the founders of the World of Art group, which sought to retreat from the problems of modern life into a world suffused with beauty and art. The Group’s main output was historical painting, theatrical design and book illustrations inspired by a nostalgia for the past.   Kustodiev joined the World Art group in 1911. During that same year, Kustodiev was stricken by illness and lost the use of his legs at age thirty-four.

Kustodiev captures the grandeur and grace of the Duchess in this portrait as she sits before the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, symbolic of her lifelong involvement with the arts.  Kustodiev carefully chose the backgrounds for his portraits, like his portrait of the Duchess, to reflect the character or personality of the sitter.  The sculpture next to the Grand Duchess in this portrait is most likely that of her late husband the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. In his correspondence, Kustodiev wrote to a friend describing his account at the Royal Court in 1911: “I have been to Tsarskoye Selo twelve times and was received most graciously, surprisingly so, I may say; perhaps it’s the fashion now, this ‘petting’ instead of ‘bawlings-out’, as before.  We had long discussions, though nothing political of course (as those who commissioned the portrait had greatly feared), mostly on art topics. . .” (B. Kustodiev: Letters, Articles, Notes, Interviews.  Meetings and Conversations with B. Kustodiev.  Recollections of the Artist, compiled by B. Kapralov, edited by M. Etkind, Leningrad 1967, p. 114).

Kustodiev painted a dominating figure of Maria Pavlovna, proud and dignified, draped in an exquisite dress of bold textures and color and covered in spectacular jewels.  It is not surprising that Kustodiev paints the Grand Duchess in so many jewels – she was famous for her jewelry.  In fact, it is said that the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna spent much of the annual pension of 1 million gold francs she received after the death of her husband on her jewelry (see Hans Nadelhoffer, Cartier, Jewelers Extraordinary, Harry N. Abrams, 1984, pp. 117 ff.).  In Kustodiev’s portrait, she wears her famous sapphire and diamond diadem commissioned from Cartier 1909, using family sapphires set into a Cartier diamond tiara. The central sapphire weighed 137.20 carats and was originally mounted as a brooch (see Alexander von Solodkoff "Großfürstin Wladimir und ihre Passion für Schmuck und Pretiosen" in Géza von Habsburg, Fabergé - Cartier Rivalen am Zarenhof , Munich 2003, p. 112, ill. 5). It later belonged to her niece, Queen Marie of Roumania (1875-1938), whose daughter, Princess Ileana sold it to Cartier in 1948. The stomacher worn by Maria Pavlovna was also made by Cartier, using old family stones in 1910. (For the original Cartier design see op. cit. p. 115, ill. 10). The ornate necklace and earrings appear to be Russian and of an earlier date. The cabochon sapphire from this parure, inherited by her only daughter, Elena, and now property of a German noble house, it is hallmarked St. Petersburg before 1899 and is either by Bolin or Fabergé. (see Géza von Habsburg, op. cit., p. 268, cat. 400).

The Grand Duchess fled St. Petersburg in February 1917.  She settled in Kislovodsk in the Caucasus until February 1920, when she and her family left Russia on the steamer Semiramis. Remarkably, her jewels which she placed in a secret safe in the Vladimir Palace, located at 26 Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya, had remained undiscovered by the Bolsheviks despite repeated searches.  Shortly thereafter, Albert Stopford, a British secret agent and family friend, and Grand Duke Georgi along with Maria Pavlovna’s son Boris recovered the jewels.   The Grand Duchess’ jewelry then found its way to Cartier, Paris in a diplomatic pouch. Cartier has archival photographs of all of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna’s jewels taken around 1920. After the Grand Duchess’ death on September 6, 1920, the jewels were divided among her children. Grand Duke Kyrill received the pearls, Grand Duke Boris the emeralds, Grand Duke Andrei the rubies and Grand Duchess Elena the diamonds.