Valentin Serov was one of the most prominent Russian painters of the Silver Age. He was a master of psychological portraits that always accurately captured the nature and mood of their characters. The artist created hundreds of landscapes, posters, theatre production sets and illustrations, that are nowadays exhibited in Russia’s top museums.

Later, the artist created quite a number of paintings featuring his contemporaries including landscape painter Isaac Levitan, archaeologist Ivan Zabelin, actress Maria Yermolova, writer Maxim Gorky to name just a few. Serov also has more than ten portraits of family members of Russia’s last emperor Nicholas II to his name.

From 1897 to 1909, Valentin Serov taught at Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture and was a member of the Tretyakov Gallery Board. Serov used various media during his carеer: from graphic charcoal black-and-white portraits to complex engraved prints.

In 1903, Moscow University professor Boris Chicherin commissioned the country’s most sought-after artist to create for him a pendant portrait of himself and his wife. A famous lawyer, historian and philosopher, he was at the origins of constitutional law in Russia. Among his close friends was Alexander Herzen, he maintained correspondence with Leo Tolstoy and Dmitry Mendeleev. Boris Chicherin was also a keen art collector. He kept his collection of paintings and books at his Karaul family estate in Tambov province. After the revolution of 1917, part of his collection came to Tambov Regional Art Gallery.

The artist worked on Chicherin’s portrait for two weeks. First, he created a few studies, one of which is now at the Russian Museum and another one at the Tretyakov Gallery. Serov portrayed his character as an intelligent person and a profound thinker — he looks straight ahead exuding confidence. Chicherin is wearing a classic suit of the early 20th century with its formal black jacket and a straight-cut white shirt.

The finished portrait had pride of place in Karaul estate house. Chicherin’s wife Alexandra, however, did not like her image in the portrait. She insisted that it be removed from the living room. The portrait’s current whereabouts are unknown.