Catherine I with a vew of Yekaterinhof after a painting by Nattier and an engraving by Rostovtsev entitled ''Yekaterinhof'' Grigory Semyonovich Musikyisky (Winter Palace, Pushkin Russia)
In this Rostovtsev work Catherine's 1717 Nattier portrait is set before the Catherine Palace, built for and named after her. Pushkin, once named Tsarskoe Selo, is an assemblage of Tsarist-era palaces located near St. Petersburg. Russia is making a serious effort to maintain them, if for no other reason than the tourist revenue they create. One striking feature of many of the palaces is the colorful exteriors while the interiors are numbingly opulent. Catherine II's digs are located in downtown St. Petersburg, a humble little shack called the Hermitage.
Keywords: 1717, Nattier, Rostovtsev, Tsaritsa Catherine I, Tsaritsa, Romanov family, Russian, curly coiffure, tiara, hair jewelry, scoop neckline, modesty piece, lace, stomacher, revers, waist band, vee waistline, elbow length puffed notched sleeves, full skirt, order sash, pendant, clasps, robes