The photocopy from the museum’s collection replicates a portrait of Boris Yusupov painted in the 19th century. It was created by the famous painter Aloysius Rokshtul, who also painted portraits of the imperial family.

At the age of 22, Boris Yusupov, together with twenty other young Russian boyars, left for France at the behest of Peter the Great. There, he studied at the School of Toulon Gardes de la Marine (Guards of the Navy). After returning to Russia, the young man became an associate of Peter the Great, and took an active part in his reforms.

His career was a dizzying one: in 1730, he became a full chamberlain, and 6 years later, he joined the Governing Senate. In 1737, Yusupov participated in a special general court to examine the guilt of Senator Dmitry Golitsyn, and another year later, he was appointed a vice-governor of Moscow. In this position he proposed an extensive plan of reforms in the Moscow Governorate. In 1740, the prince became a Privy Counselor and Moscow Governor.

His great-great-grandson Felix Yusupov wrote about him in his memoirs the following:

Felix Yusupov also told that Empress Elizabeth, on hearing of the company — “an innovation at a time when Russia had no Russian theater at all” — wished to see it at her palace. He wrote that Empress herself took care of the costumes for the actors and gave dresses and jewelry to male actors who played female roles. At Boris Yusupov’s request, the empress signed a decree on St. Petersburg’s first public theater: it was the Russian Theater — today it is the Russian State Academic Theater of Drama named after A. S. Pushkin or Alexandrinsky Theater.

It is important that the passion for art did not interfere with a service: the prince with the same zeal was engaged in economic matters. For example, in 1742, he developed a system of river navigation: he established a communication between Lake Ladoga and the Oka and Volga rivers. In 1750, he was present in the Governing Senate and was the director of the Corps of Land Guards at the same time.