Leonid Pasternak painted the ‘Portrait of Anna Borisovna Vysotskaya-Gotz’ in 1911. He depicted the wife of a well-known tea merchant David Vysotsky. In this work, the artist showed a new interpretation of the genre of the 18th century ceremonial portrait. He used a big format of the canvas, presented the subject full-length and chose subdued tones. The master highlighted the ceremonial character of the picture by Vysotskaya‘s stately posture and overall demeanour. All the other details are done in the Modern style.

Painter Leonid Pasternak was born in Odessa. He received his first education as an artist in a school of drawing in his home city; he then studied at the Munich Royal Academy where he attended the class of painter Ludwig von Herterich. He graduated from the Munich Academy with a gold medal. Later Pasternak created his own school in Moscow where he taught. He also taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. In late 19th century he participated in the exhibitions of Itinerants (Peredvizhniki), the independent travelling artists who opposed academism in painting and organised exhibitions in different cities of Russia.