Portrait of an Unknown Woman

For the 1954 film by Helmut Käutner, see Portrait of an Unknown Woman (film). For the novel by Daniel Silva, see Portrait of an Unknown Woman (novel).
Portrait of an Unknown Woman
Russian: Неизвестная
Portrait of an Unknown Woman
ArtistIvan Kramskoi
Year1883 (1883)
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions75.5 cm × 99 cm (29.7 in × 39 in)
LocationTretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
OwnerPavel Tretyakov

Portrait of an Unknown Woman, also known as The Unknown Woman,[1] An Unknown Lady or Stranger[2] (Russian: Неизвестная, romanized: Neizvestnaya[3]) is an oil painting by the Russian artist Ivan Kramskoi, painted in 1883. The model, whose identity is unknown, is a woman of "quiet strength and forthright gaze".[4] It is one of Russia's best-known artworks, although a number of critics were indignant when the painting was first exhibited and condemned what they saw as a depiction of a haughty and immoral woman. Its popularity has grown with changes in public taste.[5]

The painting hangs in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, while an earlier version, also dated 1883, is housed at the Kunsthalle Kiel.[6]

  1. ^ Wachtel, 58
  2. ^ "Ivan Kramskoi". russianartgallery.org. Retrieved on 17 March 2010.
  3. ^ Hutchings, Stephen C. & Vernitski, Anat. "Russian and Soviet film adaptations of literature, 1900–2001: screening the word". Routledge, 2004. 29. ISBN 0-415-30667-1
  4. ^ Baumgaertner, Margaret Carter (Peggy). "Ivan Kramskoy Archived 2009-12-24 at the Wayback Machine". American Society of Portrait Artists. Retrieved on 17 March 2010.
  5. ^ An Unknown Lady Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Tretyakov Gallery. Retrieved on 17 March 2010
  6. ^ "The collection of the Kunsthalle zu Kiel"