Augustin Ritt

The Medalist Charles Alexandrowitsch Leberecht

This portrait, which was created around 1795, shows the medalist and gem maker Charles Alexandrowitsch Leberecht (Meiningen 1749/1755 - 1827 St. Petersburg). He emigrated to Russia and at first worked as engraver for the Russian nobility. After having begun work at the Royal Mint in 1779, he became a member of the Academy of St. Petersburg fifteen years later. This portrait is supposed to have been created at that time. In 1799, Leberecht was finally appointed supreme medalist and head of the Russian Mint. The portrayed person is represented in front of an obscure, thundery background; sitting in a green chair, dressed in a blue coat and a white shirt with lace sleeves and jabot. Whereas his right hand is placed on the backrest, he probably holds a gem in his raised left hand. The gentleman`s pale face, which is modeled strongly, but nevertheless very delicately with some quick strokes of the brush, stands out against the background. The latter is broadly painted with an energetic guidance of the brush. The portrait, which generally is very expressive, gets its specific effect from the contrast between the calm and light representation of the man and the dark and restless, almost threatening background. The pale stains on the coat and in the background result less from Ritt`s nonchalant style of painting than from the faded pigments.

¹ Der aus Meinigen gebürtige Karl von Leberecht wird auch unter dem der französischen Hofsprache angeglichenen Namen Charles Leprecht erwähnt.