Two images in one: the National Centre RUSSIA reveals the story behind the famous facial reconstruction of Sophia Paleolog
Portraits of historical figures are not always entirely accurate visual records of their time. Sometimes, behind the photographic precision of proportions and costumes lies the artist's personal interpretation, which is precisely what brings the image to life. Marina Bandilenko, a Candidate of Sciences (History), screenwriter, writer and author of "Women of the House of Rurik: The Untold Story", discussed this at a meeting of the Literary Club "What to Read?!" at the National Centre RUSSIA.
She cited the famous facial reconstruction of Sophia Paleolog — the Byzantine princess, wife of Ivan III and mother of his heir — created by forensic medical expert and artist Sergei Nikitin in 1998. According to Marina Bandilenko, a personal story behind the portrait goes a long way towards explaining why it makes such a powerful impression.
"I once spoke with Sergei Alexeyevich, and he told me this story: while he was working on the reconstruction, his mother, Sophia, whom he loved dearly, was dying. As an artist, he saw certain features they shared. His mother's life also had some parallels with Sophia's. So he created a very accurate facial reconstruction from the skull, but gave it the expression he remembered on his mother's face. What we see is a work of art that also reflects his personal feelings towards Sophia. I, for one, love this portrait, and now that he has told me this story, I understand why it looks so lifelike: it is as though two people have come together in it," said Marina Bandilenko.
According to the expert, this story provides further evidence that our present-day perceptions of historical figures are shaped to a considerable extent by the personal feelings of those who recreated their likenesses for posterity. This is often what allows us to see our distant ancestors as living people.
The National Centre RUSSIA's original club "What to Read?!" was created for those who see books as a key to personal development and to understanding the past, present and future. Experts and guests at this intellectual forum focus on developing a culture of reading, discussing literary legacy and exchanging ideas. Attendance at future club meetings is free, but registration on russia.ru is required. The latest schedule is available in the "Events" section.
The full recording of the meeting "Strong and Inspiring: Women in Russian History and Literature" is available via thislink.
