The Artistic Phenomenon of Ivan Kramskoy’s Painting “Unknown” in Painting and Literature

The study was written in line with research into the specifics of painting and literature. At its center is the painting “Unknown” by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy, which still remains a mystery in terms of the history of its creation, the reason for painting, the customer, and most importantly - the heroine of the painting. A parallel is drawn between the painting, A. Blok’s poem “The Stranger”, and the image of Anna Karenina in the theater in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” and others. Both Kramskoy’s painting and the works of art examined in the article ask the same questions: what is the attractiveness and mystery of this woman, who is she, is she happy or, conversely, very unhappy, and ultimately - what is beauty? Why does humanity have an inescapable yearning for beauty? In addition to the associations that arise, there are several versions of assumptions about who is depicted in the picture. One of them is a portrait of Catherine Dolgoruky, the second wife of Alexander II. The article describes the story of their amazing love.