The ceremonial portrait of Catherine II from the Radishchev Museum collection was painted by an unknown artist in the second half of the 18th century. In such paintings, masters sought to convey the sitter’s high status, so the model was usually portrayed in expensive clothes against a luxurious interior.

The unknown artist captured the empress in her coronation dress. Behind her, on the banquette, are symbols of the monarch’s power – the orb and cross and the Great Imperial Crown. On the chest of Catherine is the chain of the highest Russian order of St. Andrew the First-Called, decorated with diamonds. This is a mandatory reward for the rulers, which confirmed their right to the throne. Next to it is the star and orange-black ribbon of the Order of St. George. Catherine II instituted this insignia and awarded herself first.

When creating the portrait, the master drew on two other images of the empress, which are kept in the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg. They are the works of Alexander Roslin and Fyodor Rokotov. The artists painted them in the 1770s.

At that time, the empress was 47 years old. They paid artist the full fee, but refused to use the image as the official one.