http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2784/4142062486_91e23f0c5a.jpg
Olga and Alexandra as children.
Excuse me, please, but this portrait is not a portrait of Grand Duchesses Olga and Alexandra. It depicts the sisters Anna and Catherine Vasilchikova. Here is a quote from the article L. Karnaukhova, S. Archangel "True mirror of the Age": "While working on the catalog and exhibition have been clarified as the old and proposed some new iconographic definitions. The invaluable role played here materials of history and art exhibitions of Russian portraits, organized by S.P. Diaghilev in 1905 and held in the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg. She exhibited work 71 P.F. Sokolova. Photobank Tauria exhibitions are currently in the photo library of the State Tretyakov Gallery. Their study allowed, for example, to restore the once lost the names of two girls in fancy dresses depicted in watercolor, housed in the Museum V.A.Tropinin and long considered a portrait of Grand Duchesses Olga and Alexandra, daughter of Emperor Nicholas I.
It was found that Tauria watercolor exhibition was displayed and included in the directory as the image of sisters Anne and Catherine Vasilchikova. The portrait was a younger sister AA Vasilchikova, in marriage Baranova, and later in the family of her daughter Catherine Pavlovna. It was her husband, Earl K.A.Hreptovich-Butene indicated in the exhibition catalog as the owner of the portrait. Its origin, iconographic similarities depicted portraits of their parents Alexei Vasilyevich Vasilchikova and Alexandra Ivanovna, born Arkharovs give no reason to doubt that they are depicted watercolors. In addition, Tauride exhibition, as is known, often visited by members of the royal family, including a connoisseur of Russian portrait of Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich, who certainly would notice a mistake in the attribution of watercolors, if it had been. "
