1883
oil on canvas
75,5 x 99

The viewer is intrigued both by the model and her name. We see here depicted a young woman in a carriage against the background of the Anichkov Palace in St Petersburg. The woman is not particularly beautiful but she is impressive and “chic.” Her costume corresponds to the latest fashion of the time and indicates that she belonged to the “ladies of the demi-monde.” Not without reason the critics called her “the coquette in a carriage,” “the dear camellia” and “one of the offspring of big cities.” Kramskoi emphasizes a certain demonism in his heroine’s features - the sensuous lips; eyes that seem to be hazy, under a veil, thick eyebrows forming a broken arc. The topic of the beauty of sin became fashionable among the next generation of Russian artists. The painting is unusually bright, densely painted, and relaxed. Kramskoi clearly tried to shine with his outstanding painterly mastery.

at 10, Lavrushinsky Lane, Hall 20