Portrait of Catherine II
by ANTROPOV, Aleksey Petrovich, Oil on canvas
The painting depicts many attributes of the Empress’ imperial status. In her right hand Catherine is holding a bejewelled sceptre which she has just picked up from a red pillow decorated with gold embroidery and gold tassels. Two other attributes of royalty, a crown and an orb, rest on the pillow. The crown, made especially for the coronation, consists of over 5000 diamonds (about 3000 carats) topped by an enormous 415-carat red spinel. The orb, made of solid gold, is enhanced by a band of diamonds and by a 47-carat sapphire.