Portrait of Empress Marie Feodorovna

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This bust represent the Empress Maria Feodorovna in the typical elegance and simplicity of the time, the simplicity of her garments and the deep neckline demonstrate her nobility and affinity with the real family. Maria Feodorovna (26 November 1847 – 13 October 1928), christened Dagmar, was a Danish princess and Empress of Russia as spouse of Tsar Alexandre III (reigned 1881–1894).    Mark Antokolsky, the artist, in 1871 started his first "Russian" sculpture, "Ivan the Terrible", which made an enormous impression on all valuators and connoisseurs of art. When Emperor Alexander II saw the sculpture he asked to make its bronze copy and allocated the sculptor advance payment of 4,000 roubles. Pavel Tretyakov ordered a marble copy for his gallery. The funds received enabled the artist to resolve his personal problems. In 1871 (in Vilnius) Antokolski met Jelena (Gene), daughter of a rich Vilnius merchant Judelis Giršovičius Apatovas. The two married on 6 September 1872.