Alexander I, Tsar of Russia

Tsar Alexander I of Russia had his portrait painted by Domenico Bossi several times between 1803 and 1808. The artist hailed from Trieste and initially spent several years working in Hamburg, Schwerin, and Stockholm before relocating to St. Petersburg. His lively, virtuoso miniatures were highly regarded at the Russian court and brought him numerous commissions. His portraits of the ruler do not all repeat the same type, but show him from different perspectives. In this miniature dated 1807, the head is turned almost in profile – a representation intended to be reminiscent of portraits of Roman rulers on coins and cameos.¹ His features were idealised to make him look superior and to facilitate recognition, and to show the tsar as a self-confident, authoritative man. The ruler apparently preferred this type of pose to the three quarter portrait because the latter made his features appear softer and less sharply defined.²
Alexander I was a great admirer of Napoleon’s strategic skill, even though he was one of his bitter enemies. In 1807, when this miniature was painted, Alexander I concluded a peace treaty with Napoleon after his troops had been defeated at Eylau and Friedland. The two emperors met to strike the deal on a raft in the River Neman and negotiated the Treaty of Tilsit to govern relations between the two states.
B. P.