2021-02-17
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Love and the Curse of Princess Yusupova
She looks out from all her portraits, beaming. The look of the sky-blue eyes of Princess Zinaida Yusupova is unusually penetrating and beautiful, they show refined intelligence and unrestrained, boundless kindness. This is how it is depicted in the painting of the famous Russian artist, master of portraiture, academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts Valentin Serov.
But do not rush to attribute the beauty of the image exclusively to the professional skill of the painter. Rather, on the contrary, the brush only barely kept up with the extraordinary dynamics and mobility of the princess ' face, and the colors, as far as they could, conveyed her extraordinary radiance.
'Radiance' - this is what Her Serene Highness Princess Yusupova was called by everyone who at least once saw the light of her extraordinary eyes, had the happiness to talk to her.
The richest Russian heiress, the last representative of the oldest family of the Yusupovs, the daughter of the prince, the largest landowner of the Russian Empire and the imperial court maid of honor, Yusupova was distinguished by incredible modesty, nobility and generosity.
'The more you are given, the more you must give' - the Princess was convinced. And by her deeds, she confirmed this motto. It was enough for everything - for the noisy, dazzling balls that were held in her house and where members of the imperial family were often invited, as well as for the organization of orphanages, hospitals, support for educational institutions, and other charity.
And it was given to Zinochka Yusupova from the very childhood a lot. She received a brilliant upbringing, was trained in social etiquette, and from an early age communicated with the most interesting people who often visited the Yusupovs ' house. Seven-year-old Zinaida already received guests herself, leading casual small talk.
Of course, such a diamond required an appropriate cut. According to Zinaida's father, the actual state councilor, the chamberlain (that is, the manager of the royal court), Prince Nikolai Yusupov, the daughter should have made an exceptional marriage, taking at least the throne of some European power.
However, the princess, although she was unusually intelligent and pretty, decided for herself firmly: a marriage of convenience is not for her. A person who initially already has everything that a lucky few achieve only at the end of their days, can afford not to bother with the complexities of a dynastic marriage. Only love was supposed to be the foundation of her future family.
But only time puts everything in its place. For an educated and sensual woman, family is always in the first place, above ambitions and all sorts of calculations. In a happy marriage, Yusupova had four children, but only two sons survived-Nikolai and Felix.
With horror, the princess was waiting for her boys to turn 26 years old. It is this age that is fatal for the men of the Yusupov family. According to family legend, their ancestor, the Tatar prince Yusuf, was cursed by his fellow tribesmen for renouncing his own faith and going to the service of the Russian tsar. The ancestral curse stated that in a single generation, only one descendant should live to the age of 26. Whether it was an accident that Yusupova's eldest son, Nikolai, died in a duel when he was supposed to be 26, or whether this is how the curse works, remains a mystery.
Another family portrait of the Yusupovs - the youngest son, Felix-belongs to the brush of Valentin Serov. It was Felix who became the organizer and executor of the sensational murder of Rasputin, for which in March 1917, Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich (grandson of Nicholas I) even offered him to become emperor. Yusupova regarded the act of her son positively, calling Rasputin 'a monster who tormented the country.'
The Yusupovs met the revolution in the Crimea, from where they emigrated to Italy. Zinaida Nikolaevna did not accept the loss of her status quo and, as best she could, tried to help her fellow countrymen. She organized a job search office, a free canteen, and a clothing workshop for Russian emigrants.
The princess met the Second World War in Paris, being already at an advanced age. It has never been able to come to terms with the monstrous aggression and thousands of victims of military actions. Zinaida Yusupova's heart stopped on November 24, 1939, at the age of 78.
Such is the fate of the charming woman from the portrait, which belongs to the brush of the Russian impressionist, master of chiaroscuro Valentin Serov. Today, the canvas, as well as other works of the artist related to the Yusupov cycle, is in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.
By the way, in 2015, Russia released an anniversary block dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of the best portraitists. His brushwork includes portraits of the most prominent figures in Russian history, even the imperial Romanov dynasty itself.
Princess Yusupova rightfully occupies a significant place in the history of the Russian state. And, who knows, if Zinaida Yusupova had been a little more ambitious, perhaps her fate and even the fate of Russia would have turned out quite differently?..
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