Russian School, second half 18th Century

Possibly Otto Christian Freiherr von Stackelberg;
Countess Nina Stauffenberg, Bambery, by 1933;
Thence by descent.

Both paintings are a bit softer in tone than the illustrations in the catalogue suggest. Both canvasses have been relined. The painting with the portrait of Catharina the Great has a rather loose relining. The paint surface is slightly flattened, mainly in the darker tones. Tiny scattered paint losses can be observed, e.g. in the lower right corner and in the background to the upper left, as well as along the upper and lower edge, due to the frame. The paint surface slightly starts to flake in places, e.g. lower and left centre. Discoloured retouchings are visible throughout, e.g. in the figure's face and to the background, as is visible on the illustration in the catalogue. Inspection under ultra violet light is obscured, but does confirm the retouchings as mentioned above. In the painting of the child some old repaired damage is clearly visible to the right of the child's face and on his chest, as can be seen on the catalogue illustration. There are minor paint losses in the upper left corner. Discoloured retouchings can be seen throughout. The paint surface is under a thick layer of varnish as well as under a fine layer of dirt. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals the restoration and retouchings as mentioned above, and reveal additional over paintings in the upper corners. Both paintings are offered in a plain, later gilt wood frame. (MW)
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Catherine II, the Great (1729 - 1796) born in Stettin as Sophie Auguste Friederike Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, crowned Empress in 1762. She is wearing the sash of the order of St. Andrew. The child is her grandchild Grand Duke  Alexander Pavlovich (1777 - 1825), son of Grand Duke Paul, the later Emperor Paul I, and his wife Princess Sophie-Dorothea of Württemberg. The child also wears the sash of the order of St. Andrew.

This portrait of Catherine the Great can be compared to a portrait after Vigilius Eriksen, see Sotheby's London The Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Collection, London 18 & 19 September 2007, lot 34.

These two portraits have been in the family since many generations and were the property of the late Countess Nina Stauffenberg, now removed from her house in Bamberg. It is possible that these paintings were originally the property of Otto Christian Freiherr von Stackelberg (1735 - 1792), born in Tallin, Estland, Russian Imperial Chamberlain and Major of the Imperial army. He was married to Anna Gertruda von Dücker (1750 - 1820), a wealthy heiress and great art lover and collector. Their great-great-granddaughter Anna Freiin von Stackelberg (1880 - 1945) married in Warsaw in 1907  Gustav Freiherr von Lerchenfeld (1871 - 1944). Their daughter Nina Freiin von Lerchenfeld (1913 - 2006) was married in Bamberg in 1933 to Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1907 - 1944).