This is a chest-length image of a young woman against a gray and emerald background. She is depicted with her body slightly turned to the left. She has wavy dark brown hair tied into a bun with a black ribbon. Her hair frames her elongated face with large gray eyes, a straight nose, and full lips. She wears a gold chain around her long neck. The neckline of her golden dress is decorated with a pale pink bow on the right side.
The artist Konstantin Makovsky was born in Moscow. His fate was largely determined by his origins. His father was one of the founders of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, a member of the Moscow Art Society, and a collector of painting. Konstantin Makovsky graduated from college in 1858 and went on to study in the life class at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.
By 1863, Konstantin Makovsky had become one of the top students at the Academy of Arts. However, the same year, he left the Academy in protest against the Council’s refusal to give the students a free choice of subject in the competition for the grand gold medal. The incident was reported in the media as the Revolt of the Fourteen and went down in history under this name.
In 1870, Konstantin Makovsky joined the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions but also continued to exhibit his paintings at the Academy. In the 1880s, he became known as a “court painter”. He received portrait commissions from representatives of the most prominent noble families.
The artist’s fascination with traditional Russian scenes and his ability to imbue them with a fairytale-like atmosphere made him popular in Europe and the United States which he visited many times at the turn of the 20th century.
“Portrait of a Young Woman with a Pink Bow” from the collection of the National Gallery dates back to the early 20th century. This image represents the artist’s distinctive style. Konstantin Makovsky emphasized the woman’s beauty in a fairytale-like manner. The finely detailed face and neck are combined with the dress depicted using quick brushstrokes. The woman has a very youthful appearance.
