Portrait of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna with her daughter

Painted around 1830, this double portrait of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna with her daughter reflects Bryullov's growing prominence within the Russian imperial court. Elena Pavlovna, born Princess Charlotte of Württemberg, was the wife of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich and became one of the most intellectually active members of the Romanov family, later serving as a major patron of the arts and sciences. The commission placed Bryullov in direct contact with the highest circles of St. Petersburg society. Double portraits of mothers and daughters carried specific dynastic and sentimental meanings in this era, combining personal affection with the public display of aristocratic lineage. Bryullov would have worked from sittings at the imperial palace. The Russian Museum preserves the painting as a significant document of both the artist's court career and the portraiture conventions of the Romantic period in Russia.

The compositional challenge of the double portrait is managed by Bryullov through a gentle shared axis, with the daughter positioned slightly lower to guide the eye upward to the Grand Duchess. Rich fabrics and jewelry are rendered with the glazing techniques Bryullov absorbed from studying Flemish masters. Background is kept neutral to avoid distraction.