This painting exemplifies Aivazovsky’s varied technique. Not only was he adept at painting melodramatic and layered landscapes and coastal scenes, full of emotion and vigor, but he was also skilled at painting naturalistic portraits. This portrait is of Count Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov, a Russian-Armenian statesman and general. It illustrates the esteem at which the highly-decorated Count was held, suggesting his honor and respect. It is also highly detailed, from the grey hairs the in the subject beard, to the shimmer of his medals. This portrait also illustrates the painter’s extreme skill in depicting light in his paintings, making you wonder whether or not the gleam in Loris-Melikov’s eye is the work of the painter or the portrayal of a more deeply felt emotion.
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