The portrait of Princess Zinaida Yusupova was painted by the famous painter Francois Flameng. This painting is considered to be one of his best works. The Rakityansky Museum of Local History houses reproduction of the painting in the technique of photo printing.

Zinaida Nikolayevna was born on September 2, 1861. According to Yusupov’s tradition, she was named after her famous grandmother — Countess de Chauveau. Thanks to her parents, whose house was open to people of science and art, Zinaida received an excellent education and upbringing. By the age of seven, she was already able to receive guests and keep up small talk.

One of St. Petersburg’s most brilliant beauties and the sole heiress to a vast fortune, the young princess became the most enviable bride of the Russian Empire. Her son Felix later wrote in his memoirs:

In the spring of 1882, Zinaida Nikolayevna married Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston. Due to the fact that she had no brothers, only her husband could continue the family name. So, after the wedding the emperor allowed the count to take a double title: he became Prince Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston.

The marriage turned out to be happy, despite the difference of characters: her husband “was first of all a soldier and did not like intellectual circles, where his wife liked to be.” For the love of her husband Zinaida Yusupova decided to sacrifice personal hobbies.

A lot of time, effort and money she spent on charity. The Princess took care of orphanages, hospitals, gymnasiums, churches — and not only in St. Petersburg, but throughout the country. During the Russo-Japanese War, the Yusupov palaces and estates housed sanatoriums and hospitals for the wounded.

On April 13, 1919, the family left Russia on the British battleship “Marlborough” and emigrated to Italy. The Princess and her husband settled in Rome, and their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter moved to London. After the death of Count Sumarokov-Elston, the Princess moved to Paris to join her son and his wife. She died in France on November 24, 1939.