Figures “Representing the Kingdoms, Grand Principalities, and Other Regions and Provinces of the Russian Empire, with Their Coats Of Arms”: Personifications of Territories in 18th-century Russian Art

Chebakova Polina ORCID: 0000-0003-4614-6964 Assistant; Institute of History; St. Petersburg State University 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9 p.chebakova@spbu.ru Other publications by this author

By the beginning of the XVIII century, the Russian state possessed a vast territory, which increased even more over the course of the century. The territorial increments of this era are not as significant as in the XVII century. However, the growth of Russia's sovereign power under Peter I, expressed in victory in the Northern War, allowed the Senate and Synod to proclaim the Russian monarch emperor in 1721 ^{[1, pp. 34-39]}. This title symbolically fixed the country's new, exceptionally high position on the world stage ^{[2, pp. 75-76]}.

The administrative division of the Russian Empire changed several times during the XVIII century. According to D.A. Khitrov, until 1775, the basis of the administrative-territorial division of the empire remained the system of division into counties ^{[3, pp. 137-158]}. In 1708, Peter the Great carried out an administrative reform, as a result of which in Russia the old Russian administrative units, counties, were united into new large territorial units – provinces. In 1719, provinces appeared – an intermediate link between large provinces and districts (which replaced counties), into which provinces were subdivided. In 1727, the districts were excluded from the system, while the counties were restored. Another reform was carried out half a century later by Catherine II ^{[3, pp. 137-158]}. In 1775-1783, the division into provinces became a thing of the past, the number of provinces was significantly increased to facilitate their management, and the provinces themselves were mostly replaced by governorates. According to O. Glagoleva, "the boundaries of regions changing during the XVIII century and even terms characterizing the structural features of the administrative distribution of territories (district, county, province, governorate) blurred the clarity of understanding of their administrative affiliation" ^{[4, pp. 80-81]}. Administrative borders were also characterized by variability; the regions of the Russian Empire, according to V. Sunderland, were "dynamic and changeable systems of relations" ^{[5, pp. 7-29]}.

Besides Moscow, Vladimir, Novgorod, Kiev, Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia were considered the main titular objects already at the end of the XVII century ^{[6, p. 100]}. Territories within the XVIII century empire also had different status due to various reasons, which was reflected in the full imperial title. As E.V. Boltunova points out, the first in terms of symbolic significance of a number of territories were the "historical" lands, the capitals of Russia – Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod. The second most important circle of lands were kingdoms. Immediately after the 3 kingdoms, Catherine II reflected in the title another historical region annexed by her – Tauric Chersonesos. To the stable triad of kingdoms ("Kazan-Astrakhan-Siberia") ^{[7, p. 130]} under Alexander I, after Astrakhan, the Kingdom of Poland was added, although usually the annexed territories were integrated into the structure of the title at the end, without violating the sequence of stable combinations ^{[8, pp. 393-395]}. Then followed the Grand ducal lands. As E.V. Boltunova emphasized, "historical lands and kingdoms have always been the most significant elements of the title and invariably dominated the visual representation of the territories of the empire" ^{[8, p. 394]}.

The title did not coincide in many ways with the administrative division. For example, instead of the Siberian Kingdom, which had a special symbolic meaning, the real administrative unit of government was the Siberian province.

The territorial units of the Russian Empire, both historical and modern, were reflected in the art of the XVIII century. The most common way to visually represent the hierarchy of territories within the Russian Empire were coats of arms ^{[9, p. 190]}, which indicated that the territory belonged to the state or the whole country as a whole. According to the sequence of enumeration in the ruler's title, the coats of arms of the lands were placed in allegorical compositions: first the capitals, then the kingdoms and the rest of the territories. For example, these are portraits of sovereigns framed by coats of arms: engraved images of Peter II (I.F. Zubov, 1728), Anna Ioannovna (unknown Moscow engraver, etching), as well as the engraved coat of arms of the Russian Empire of the time of Elizabeth Petrovna (unknown Moscow engraver of the middle of the XVIII century, RNB, inv. No. E Ols/7-1326) ^{[10, pp. 213-214, 217]}. Sometimes coats of arms could accompany the allegory of Russia: during the solemn procession in Vologda on the occasion of peace with the Ottoman Port on July 10, 1775 ^{[11, p. 330]} "the coats of arms of Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, etc. were depicted in the circle of triumphant Russia" ^{[12, p. 532]}.

Another symbolic embodiment of the territory is the image of the crown (or royal crown, "cap") ^{[13, 243-246]}, symbolizing the territorial unit, in the ceremonial ^{[14, pp. 179-181]} and in the ceremonial portrait ^{[15, p. 279]}.

Finally, these were personifications of territories, the most common embodiment.

The totality of allegorical figures – both the Russian state and the territories of the empire – was a reflection of the titulature of the Russian rulers in art. If attention was paid to the personification of Russia in Russian art studies, then the personification of territories in Russian art of the XVIII century came to the attention of researchers only sporadically. The purpose of the article is to identify the cases of the appearance of these allegorical figures in works of art (separately or together with the personification of Russia) and characterize them. The tasks, accordingly, were to describe their iconography, compare them with the allegorical figure of the country and analyze their features in specific works of Russian art.

These allegorical images were created by analogy with Western European art, in which by that time there were many examples of personifications of territories. Russian Russian edition, which codifies the European visual images of territories, was the "Iconological Lexicon" by O. Lacombe de Presel, published in 1756 in French and translated by I. Akimov into Russian in 1763 ^[16]. His translation appeared in Russia when personifications of territories had been existing in Russian art for a long time. The lexicon summarized the known information about their iconography, and it served as an auxiliary publication for the artists.

The personifications of countries, cities, and regions had similar iconography. According to the translation of Lacombe de Presel's lexicon, "States, Provinces and Cities [...] are usually presented in the form of a woman leaning on a shield, on which the coat of arms of the province or city that he intends to represent should be depicted" ^{[16, p. 148]}; and "if a Cornucopia is held in the hands of a symbolitic figure of some city or province; it shows the prosperous state of those places" ^{[16, p. 254]}. Individual cities often became characters in allegorical compositions. For example, Rome, "the capital city of the Roman Empire, has exactly the same signs on the medals that are given to Pallas, the goddess of war. Rome is also represented as an Amazon with open breasts" ^{[16, p. 251]}.

Personifications often depicted rivers, which, according to the principle of geographical location, could symbolize a city, fortress or nearby territory. Rivers were most often represented "in the form of venerable old men [...] in reed crowns lying in reeds, leaning on vessels from which water flows" ^{[16, p. 257]}. O. Lacombe de Presel captures the general appearance and the most common attributes of personifications of territories, indicating gender, but rarely paying attention to attire, features body, facial features. In rare cases, such as for rivers, it indicates age.

In Russian art, personifications of territories and cultural and geographical concepts (four parts of the world) appeared at the turn of the XVII-XVIII century thanks to imported Western European samples. The Russian Empire, by analogy with other countries, was embodied by a special personification, which of all the allegorical figures of territories is found most often in works of art and always serves to glorify the country and its ruler ^[17]. In most cases, the personification of the Russian Empire appeared alone. However, there was also a type of images where territories within the state were also designated as personifications.

The personifications of kingdoms were the most significant in the context of imperial themes. There were 4 of them: this was the original Moscow principality (kingdom), as well as the Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian kingdoms, annexed in 1552, 1556 and in the second half – end of the XVI century ^{[7, p. 124]}, respectively. The images of the kingdoms had a special symbolic meaning in the context of state policy. The appearance and attributes of these personifications, judging by the preserved images, were similar to those inherent in the personification of the country. They were represented most often in the form of young women in antique robes, with appropriate armorial shields, sometimes with signs of power (crowns, mantles).

In "Symbols and Emblems" by N.M. Ambodik-Maksimovich (1788) The Russian Empire and the Moscow Kingdom, as well as its capital Moscow, are directly identified: "The Russian Empire, Russia, Rus, Moscow, the Moscow Kingdom is represented in the image of a majestic-looking wife, in a gold-woven mantle and an Imperial crown, with a shield standing next to her, on which a black double-headed eagle with crowns is depicted, and in her chest This is a horseman on a horse striking a defeated serpent" ^{[18, p. 63]}. Sometimes the Moscow Kingdom acted not as a synonym for the Russian Empire, but as a separate unit, together with other kingdoms. In such cases, the Moscow Kingdom (principality) usually looked like the main state personification. There was a way to distinguish the personification of the kingdom from the personification of the Russian Empire. This distinction can be made using the material of the sculptural image. In the "Sad Hall" of Elizabeth Petrovna, in the corners of the throne ("on the four corners of the bed post"), there were copper sculptural personifications of the Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian kingdoms and the Grand Duchy of Moscow in a mournful form ^{[14, p. 109]}, "veiled, mourning the death of their Autocrat": The "cleaned sad hall" meant the whole "Russian state, lamenting and crying at the coffin of its most gracious Autocrat Elizabeth the First" ^{[19, p. 87; 20, p. 141-142]}. Opposite the throne, "in the lower place of the hall," the personification of the Russian Empire itself was presented "in the form of a gilded statue in long sad clothes with two youths and with the state emblem, mourning the death of her most gracious Autocrat; with her right hand she points to the monument depicted on a round shield standing in front of her with the likeness of Her Majesty blessed memory of the Empress Empress the tomb is made of dark green marble and these are the following words in Russian written in golden letters: "Pronounces with a sigh" ^{[21, pp. 110-111; 20, p. 144]}. It follows from the description that the statue of the Russian Empire was distinguished by gilding from the personifications of the kingdoms in its composition, presented in the form of copper sculptures. Personifications of the kingdoms in the funeral ceremony of the ruler appeared earlier, at the burial of Anna Ioannovna (presumably, the inventory of both programs was Ya. Shtelin): Four seated statues at the hearse of the Empress represented the kingdoms of the Russian Empire ^{[19, p. 94]}.

 Few images of the personifications of the realms have survived to this day: the decoration of court ceremonies, fireworks and triumphal gates, where their appearance was most likely, was not durable. It is very rare to get an idea of their appearance, and one of such cases is the illumination in the Funny Palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in honor of her coronation in 1742, where "Russia with kingdoms and principalities were depicted from the middle picture to the right side in the open hall" ^{[22, p. 167]}. This scene remained schematically captured on an engraving from the images attached to the coronation album ^[23]. The personification of the Russian Empire is represented here at the head of the retinue that came to the throne of the new Empress. She is dressed in a magnificent court dress (which is rare for the personification of Russia, she is usually depicted in robes similar to antique ones) with a pattern on the lower edge and a royal mantle, on her head a small imperial crown. She brings her right hand to her chest as a sign of love and respect. She is followed by four allegorical figures in antique tunics with capes, each of whom holds her coat of arms with both hands in front of her chest. The Hermitage keeps a colored version of the engraving: it shows a purple dress of the personification of the Russian Empire with a yellow royal mantle, a robe of personifications of territories in pink and blue tones, one of them (Kazan) is represented in a pink tunic with a yellow cape (G.A. Kachalov, GE, inv. No. ERG-25716). Most likely, there were more allegorical figures of territories in the illumination itself – presumably, their order and number corresponded to the beginning of Elizabeth Petrovna's title. Kazan, the last of the 4 figures, was to be followed by Astrakhan and Siberia – it is unlikely that only one kingdom out of three in the title of empress was represented at the illumination. Similar joint depictions of personifications of the most important territories of the state existed in European art. A striking example is the personification of the provinces of the Netherlands, which, among other things, could appear together with the personification of the country. This is the engraving "Pacis Belgicae Monumentum" (original author – Jan Cornelis van't Woudt, 1609), which depicts the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands before Belgica as an allegory of the Twelve-Year Truce and the union of all parts of the country.

Jan Cornelis van't Woodt (author of the original). «Pacis Belgicae Monumentum». 1609. Reismuseum, inv. No. RP-P-OB-68.248. Source: © Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

In Russia, personifications of kingdoms most often appeared in court ceremonial celebrations and in monumental painting, on the most solemn occasions, to glorify the country and the ruler. Thus, the image of the personified four kingdoms (Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, Moscow) appeared on the occasion of the coronation celebrations of Catherine I in 1724, when they were presented at the Myasnitsky Triumphal Gates bringing a geographical map of the lands of the Russian state to the name of the empress ^{[24, p. 231]}. According to the description of the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1742, on the "front facade" of the Triumphal Gates from the Moscow merchants in the Earthen City on Myasnitskaya Street ^{[24, p. 108]}, as in 1724 ^{[24, p. 31]}, "four states, Moscow, Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian with their coats of arms" were also depicted"bringing to the name of the ruler "a drawing or a geographical map depicting the lands of the Russian state. The inscription: This is your property" ^{[22, p. 144]} (a miniature image of this painting is on an engraving by G.A. Kachalov, which shows the facade of the triumphal gate). Inside the gate, built by the Holy Governing Synod in Kitay-gorod on the occasion of the same coronation, a plafond is described, on which the providence of God descending from heaven was presented with a tablet with the name of the Empress, "Russia with its kingdoms and principalities will bow in decent faces, with the inscription: God confers who will open, and Who will turn away His high hand. Isaiah ch. 19. The circle of this painting is overlaid with gilded frames" ^{[22, p. 141]}. It is known that the ceiling of the Throne Room of the Winter Palace of Anna Ioannovna was decorated with a similar image of Russia with the kingdoms, created in 1732-1733 by L. Karavak (according to the Swedish scientist K. R. Burke in "Travel Notes about Russia" ^[25]): "The ceiling is covered with paintings on canvas [...]. The painting was done by the court artist Karavak [...]. The plot in the middle of the ceiling is the accession of Her Majesty to the throne. Religion and Virtue represent her to Russia, which, on its knees, greeting her, hands her the crown. The clergy and kingdoms of Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberia, as well as many Tatar and Kalmyk peoples who recognize the power of Russia, stand side by side, expressing their joy" ^{[26, p. 248]}. Here, allegories of territories accompany an important scene of the personification of the empire presenting regalia to its ruler, which periodically appeared in the art of the XVIII century.

The degree of participation of the kingdoms in the plot of the celebrations varied. An engraved image of the New Year's fireworks of 1755 has been preserved, where the personifications of the four kingdoms were the protagonists of the holiday and remained schematically imprinted on the engraving. The Russian Empire was allegorically represented on the main plan, and the coat of arms of the four kingdoms hung above the portals of the amphitheater. According to the plot of the fireworks, "the four kingdoms mentioned come out of the four portals, and approach in real motion with their censers, holding one hand at the perseus to the middle pillar of honor." Judging by the schematically depicted coats of arms, Astrakhan and Moscow come out on the right, Kazan and Siberia on the left. Personifications are depicted in antique dresses with capes (one of them, presumably, the Kazan Kingdom, can be distinguished ermine mantle) and royal headdresses. E.B. Dedova notes that "the four kingdoms were three-dimensional or flat images mounted on special movable platforms" ^{[27, pp. 92, 183; Volume II. Appendix, p. 72]}. In this case, the personifications of the realms acted as the main characters.

The personification of Russia could be an actor, and the personifications of territories could be passive complementary images. Sometimes the personifications of territories remained "inanimate" when they were depicted as decorative statues, while the personification of Russia was an "animated" active actor. According to the plot of the New Year's fireworks of 1756, Love, Reverence, Loyalty and Obedience "together with zeal for a prosperous New Year's advent, the rejoicing are preparing with Russia to ignite the sacrifice of their desires for the highest well-being, for the dearest health and long-term life of HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY, ELIZABETH the First. To make this sacrifice, Russia stands with a state shield in front of the TEMPLE of the RUSSIAN EMPIRE elevated above the magnificent gallery, which has statues with their armorial shields representing the kingdom, Grand duchy and other Russian Empire regions and provinces on the lower and upper pedestals" (Ya.Ya. Shtelin, "Description and explanation of the entertainment fireworks... in expression of the most sincere congratulations on entering the New Year, he was burned in front of the new Winter Imperial House in St. Petersburg on the first evening of 1756", St. Petersburg, 1756).

These allegorical figures are represented as women in crowns (3 in imperial, 3 in royal with teeth), all with shields of arms. Only one of these personifications, the Astrakhan Kingdom, is depicted as a crowned knight in armor, and not as a woman in an antique dress. This is the rarest case in the depiction of personifications of territories, probably referring to the iconography of the personification of the Russian Empire in armor, which arose at the beginning of the XVIII century ^{[17, p. 309]}. Perhaps this image was also created under the influence of the coat of arms of the kingdom – the crown over the sword.

Four parts of the world were also present in this fireworks display. In addition, at the end of the celebration, another picture with personifications of the territories was presented: "the TEMPLE OF DESIRES OF the RUSSIAN EMPIRE will be again visible on the green amphitheater square decorated with alleys in the likeness of a star made and furnished with statues and shields of the provinces of the Russian Empire described above." She was also depicted in an engraving. The personifications of the Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms were the closest to the viewer, therefore the most important in terms of status, followed by the figures of the Siberian Kingdom and, presumably, the Izhora land.

The same method of visualization – the personification of Russia as an actor, and the personification of the kingdoms in the form of statues complementing the scene – was used during the fireworks display on the occasion of the wedding of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich with Natalia Alekseevna (October 11, 1773). In an engraving by an unknown master ("Entertainment lights presented at the end of the wedding celebration of Their Imperial Highnesses, in St. Petersburg, 1773, October day ^[11] action of the First wick fire", 1773), the personification of the Russian Empire is depicted in front of the altar. On the sides of the stage, between the pillars of the Temple of Bliss, statues of 4 kingdoms with armorial shields are placed, 3 of them in small imperial crowns: on the left ? the Moscow Kingdom in the form of a young girl with her hair pulled up, a cloak on a chain is thrown over her left shoulder, on the left in a niche – the Astrakhan Kingdom in the form of a young girl holding her left hand hand to the chest; on the right – the Kazan Kingdom in a loose flowing dress with a cape, with long wavy hair, on the right in a niche – the Siberian Kingdom in a loose dress and a royal hat. Thus, in the allegorical space of the solemn celebration, personifications of four parts of the world, the Russian state and the territories of the Russian Empire could simultaneously meet, with Russia playing a leading role. Such a collective representation of the territories of the empire in a work of art served the purpose of a kind of "choral", cumulative glorification of the ruler.

An allegorical figure similar but not identical to the personifications of the kingdoms was the personification of a large principality, as well as a historical region. Kingdoms were status territorial units with important symbolic significance. In administrative management, they had a different name, and in art, the corresponding territories appeared precisely as kingdoms and appeared for modern reasons significant to the Russian state, in no way connected with the history of the entry of these kingdoms into the empire.  A rare exception is the table decoration of the Arabesque table and dessert set "Georgia under the patronage of Russia" ^{[28, p. 69]} (J.-D. Rachette, designed by Prince A.A. Vyazemsky, with the participation of N.A. Lvov and G.R. Derzhavin (?), 1784, porcelain, GRM), created after conclusions of the St. George's Treatise of 1783, where each of the personifications of the Russian Empire and Georgia (Kartli-Kakheti Kingdom) is endowed with a crown and a coat of arms of the Russian Empire. Other personifications of large lands that had a specific status (principality, historical region) usually appeared on the occasion of their accession to the Russian Empire.

These images were necessary to legitimize the new territories. In such cases, allegorical figures of territories could depict a set of annexed lands, a historical region such as Karelia and Livonia on the conclusion of Feofil Krolik and Vasily Gogolev, dedicated to the victories in the Northern War (I.F. Zubov, M.D. Karnovsky, 1707-1709). Karelia and Livonia are depicted in dresses with capes, with olive branches in their hands and keys on trays. They are presented as young ladies of the court with fashionable hairstyles, greeting their triumphant, and laconically marking new territories. The principality stands apart in the visual range of the empire's lands, since the accession of the principality is an exceptional case. The appearance of this allegorical figure contained an emphasis on princely attributes. This can be judged by the retrospective project of the medal of the last third of the XVIII century "The Capture of the Principality of Moldavia" (from the manuscript album of the Medal Committees, late 1770s - early 1780s. (?), completed no earlier than 1777, RNB, Department of Manuscripts, F. 550 OSRK. F.IV.64. l. 155), where "on the back were depicted: Russia, which has a city crown on its head, clothed in an imperial Mantle, holds in its left hand the signs of Victory and Strength, that is: an arrow and a lanet, next to its State coat of arms. Moldavia, in a princely cap and a princely epanche, kneels in front of Her, throwing down her coat of arms. Russia stretches out its hand to her. Behind Moldova, the Moldovan Metropolitan with the holy cross is accompanied by Moldovan nobles in an obsequious manner. Inscription: TAKEN AND PROTECTED. at the bottom: Moldova was accepted into the patronage of 1739." The personification of Russia is depicted on the right, she leans slightly towards Moldova, kneeling on the left, and holds out her hand. The Principality of Moldova shows the Russian Empire its shield lying on the ground.

The Tauride region also had a special status, the annexation of which remained imprinted in sculptural and picturesque form. In the "Allegory of the Accession of Tavria to Russia", created by order of the Empress (Meissen, authors of the model: I.K. Schoenheit, H.G. Yuchtzer, 1780s, biscuit, GIM), a kneeling half-naked girl with a shield with the inscription "Tavria" is presented in front of the personification of the Russian Empire, who sits on a throne with an eagle under her palm trees. The new part of the empire presses its hand to its chest as a sign of its respect and love and looks at the portrait of Catherine II, and the personification of Russia stretches out his hand to her. The painting by A.K. Gune "Catherine II gives laws to Taurida" (1791, the State Museum of Fine Arts "Tsarskoye Selo") on the left hand of the throne of the Empress depicts the personification of Taurida in a city crown and royal mantle, which rests on a large amphora – a symbol of winemaking. She holds a staff wrapped in laurel and crowned with a double-headed eagle.

Similar works demonstrating the annexation of lands in order to glorify the ruler existed in European art. For example, on the frontispiece of the calendar for 1668, executed by the engraver Nicolas de Larmessin, explaining the conquests of Louis XIV, King of France, the personification of Flanders offers his heart to the royal couple and the grand Dauphin. She is accompanied by smiling personifications of the conquered territories of Flanders, and at the feet of the king lies a conquered Spanish lion. At the bottom of the composition, framed by a cartouche, there is also a personification of France with a book ^{[29, pp. 304-305]}. Another vivid example is the allegory of the subjugation of Flanders to Louis XIV (calendar for 1659, Jean Le Potre, Rijksmuseum), where the personification of the southern Netherlands, transferred by Spain as a result of the Peace of the Pyrenees in 1659, bows to the personification of France and stretches out his hand to her. France graciously embraces Flanders and dresses it from Spanish to fashionable French dress, demonstrating the acceptance of the new territory.

Jean Le Potre. An allegory of the subjugation of Flanders to Louis XIV. Calendar for 1659 Reismuseum, inv. № RP-P-2010-153. Source: © Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

According to the established tradition, cities and fortresses were also depicted most often in the event of their joining the empire. Cities that were already part of the country were rarely depicted. The need to develop images of conquered territories and fortresses arose in Peter the Great's time. Their iconography was borrowed from European art and remained unchanged: cities and fortresses were represented by women in city crowns, with an armorial shield or scroll, sometimes with keys. Their images were of high importance, laconic clarity and appeared from the beginning of the XVIII century in various types of art, for example, in the not preserved monumental decorations of state celebrations to glorify the territorial acquisitions of the ruler. According to the description of the triumphal gates of 1703, "The solemn gate leading into the temple of immortal glory, to the invincible name of the New Hercules in Russia, the great conqueror of Thrace", "the ocean, the Khvalinsky, the Azov and now the Fiona Sea have their own powers, from the left of the country Livonia, the four earliest cities – Schluetelburg, Schlotburg, Yamburg and Kaporie Kupno with himself, the military of his royal most illustrious majesty by force of compulsion, with the worship of his royal most illustrious majesty..." ^{[30, p. 143]}, they appear before Apollo, symbolizing Peter I.

Such personifications were especially common in graphics (on cartouches as part of maps of new lands) and in sculpture (commemorative medals). In the engraving "Apotheosis for Peace with Turkey in 1700" (A. Shkhonebek, 1700s, BAN), two women in modern dresses, richly embroidered robes, with jewelry and hairstyles bow to Peter I models of city walls and the key to them. These are personifications of two captured fortresses: "the captured cities [...] bow down with joy," the inscription says. It is interesting that a European engraver uses a rich modern costume, which was not typical for personifications of territories in Russia of the XVIII century, but is widespread in European art.  In the "Plan of the siege of the fortress of Schlisselburg (Noteburg) on October 11, 1702" (A. Shkhonebek, 1703), a kneeling personification of the fortress is depicted in the upper cartouche, presenting Mars with a model of the fortress and keys.  In the right part of the engraving "Fireworks on January 1, 1704 in Moscow on the occasion of the capture of Kantsev (Nienschants) in 1703 Three lanterns with allegorical paintings" (A. Shkhonebek, ^[1703], BAN, inv. No. NIORK 96 gr.) depicts a fortress kneeling and holding out its keys, which decided to surrender.

In addition to graphics, images of cities and fortresses often appeared in commemorative medals (for example, a medal in honor of the capture of Dorpat in 1704, a medal in honor of the capture of Neishlot in 1714). Especially interesting are those cases when the personification of the city worships the ruler, who is the embodiment of the country and is in the same allegorical space with the personification of the city. Such a composition is presented on a medal dedicated to the capture of Arensburg in 1710, where the personification of the city presents the sovereign with a model and plan of the fortress walls, and medals in memory of the Peace of Constantinople in 1700, and here the ruler is depicted with a coat of arms. This composition was described in the album of the Medal Committees under the title "Thirty Years of Peace concluded with the Ottoman Port": "On the back is his royal majesty sitting, and before him on his knees the city of Azov in the image of a wife who is brought to him like a defeated and chained, with her stands the world, giving a peace treaty to the Sovereign with one hand, and with the other lifting the aforementioned kneeling wife with the inscription: that is, it protects the defeated" (RNB, Department of Manuscripts. F. 550 OSRK. F.IV.64. L. 20).

On the retrospective project of the medal "Capture of Baku", presented in the same album, the proposed composition is described as follows: "On the back, the gates of the city of Baku are open, and in front of them a Persian wife is kneeling, offering a Russian soldier with a naked sword in his hand, the city key. Behind the warrior is a boy holding a shield with the Russian coat of arms. Inscription. Sim is only being saved. The city of Baku was taken at the bottom in 1723" (RNB, Department of Manuscripts. F. 550 OSRK. F.IV.64. L. 109). Here, the personification of the Russian state became the "Russian warrior". A similar personification was the "Russian Hero": on the draft medal from the same album "The Capture of the Persian Tarku Fortress" (1725), "on the reverse: on this side in front of the Persian woman (representing the city) on her knees with a city shield lying next to her, in front of the Russian hero, handing him the city keys" (RNB, Department of Manuscripts. F. 550 OSRK. F.IV.64. L. 126). Here, at the feet of a warrior in a plumed helmet and with a sword in his right hand, trophies and a Russian coat of arms shield are depicted on them. According to tradition, the subordinate territory is most often a female figure, while the victorious empire could also be personified by a male image associated with military power.

In addition to newly acquired cities and territories, which usually appear before the sovereign or the personification of the state, sometimes the most important cities of the Russian Empire could be represented as independent images. The personification of the city of Moscow, the old capital of the empire, appeared infrequently in art, although it existed in literature. She was described as a gray-haired woman in a city crown, which was supposed to symbolize the antiquity of the Russian state ^{[31, pp. 6-7]}. One of her rare indisputable images in the form of an allegorical female figure (though without indicating her venerable age) is a fireworks display in the new year 1749 in front of the Summer Palace: "Moscow sits at the gate in the form of a woman in a city crown, leaning on the shield of its ancient coat of arms, and not at all gazes at the sun that appeared to her again But he also points with outstretched hand to the whole city to express his joy and to glorify this clear light. With another hand, to give her heartfelt pleasure, she strikes her chest trembling in joy" (Ya.Ya. Shtelin, "Description and explanation of fireworks and illumination, upon the safe and cheerful arrival of her Majesty in Moscow... Elizabeth Petrovna... in the new year 1749 in front of the Imperial Summer Palace presented", St. Petersburg, 1748). At the beginning of the XIX century, in connection with the Patriotic War, the image of Moscow in the form of a woman in a Russian suit and with a coat of arms ^{[32, pp. 119-122]} will acquire a particularly emotional sound and recognizable features. This is how she will appear on the A.N. Olenin medal project (1817) ^{[33, №2]}, on F.P. Tolstoy's medallion "Liberation of Moscow. 1812" ^{[34, pp. 86, 90]} (1819, GRM) and on the relief of the triumphal arch of O. Beauvais (1829-1834).

And finally, governorates (provinces) are large units of modern administrative management that rarely appeared in art. More important for the image were territorial units significant for the status of the empire – kingdoms or annexed historical regions and cities. The governorates were established by Catherine II in 1775 and for some time, until the abolition of Paul I in 1796, replaced most of the provinces. Their allegorical figures could be presented separately from the personification of an empire or kingdom. A unique case of depicting a number of personifications of viceroyships within the framework of one project is the atlas of the Russian Empire of 1792, studied by N.P. Finyagina ^[35].

Vivid allegorical figures from this atlas, executed by various engravers according to the designs of A. Wilbrecht, are personifications of the Polotsk viceroyalty (in the form of a woman in a wreath, an antique tunic and a mantle with double-headed eagles, who holds a branch in her hand instead of a scepter, with a coat of arms), the Simbirsk viceroyalty (in the form of a girl with half-naked breasts, in an antique tunic and robes with double-headed eagles, in a city crown), Tambov viceroyalty (in the form of a statue of a woman in antique attire, with a covered head, who holds a sickle in her left hand), Voronezh viceroyalty (in the form of a woman in a wreath, antique tunic and cape with double-headed eagles, who holds a staff with a sail in her hand). The personification of the Tauride region in this atlas is represented in an antique tunic, bare–chested, accompanied by Artemis - with a hint of her historical past associated with Greek antiquity ^{[35, p. 122]}.

The usual allegorical female figures with armorial shields and crowns did not always become personifications of the lands. Sometimes they became widespread folk types, including male figures (which was also possible in European art): on the map of the Penza viceroyalty, a banner with the name of the map is supported by a peasant and a peasant woman, and the coat of arms of the viceroyalty is held by a small winged genius, on the map of the Kazan viceroyalty a local merchant is depicted, to which Mercury approaches.

An example of a separate image of the viceroyalty was found in miniature – on the lid of a snuffbox from the collection of the Faberge Museum, which is indicated in the catalog of the museum's exposition ("Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg. Index to the exposition", 2014, Golden living room, Showcase 03, No. 22, p. 52) as "A snuffbox with the image of Catherine II" (unknown author, St. Petersburg, about 1793, gold: chasing, engraving, painted enamel, notched enamel). The lid depicts the personification of the Tver viceroyalty (or Tver) in front of a smoking altar, with a bowl in her hand, dressed in a pink robe with a blue cloak and a crown, holding the red coat of arms of Tver with her right hand (in a scarlet field a golden throne with a crown on it). She will be in front of the obelisk with the monogram "OG" and the inscription "As a sign of gratitude. 1793 ap[rel] 21". Presumably, the snuffbox was dedicated to the works of Grigory Mikhailovich Osipov in the field of the ruler of the Tver governorate in 1784-1793/1794 ^{[36, p. 130]}. (by decree on April 19, 1793, he was assigned the post of Pskov Governor-General ^{[37, p. 179]}).

All the examples given of female allegorical figures of territories are usually similar to each other. Their appearance was often a reflection of the personification of the country: rarely having royal attributes with them (they relied only on the most important of them, for example, personifications of kingdoms within the empire), these in most cases female allegorical figures in ancient tunics were endowed in various variations with state robes, city crowns and coats of arms of their own territories. Unlike the personification of the country, they could even be represented semi-naked (with the exception of kingdoms). Kingdoms are the most important historical territories for the title, related to the status of the empire. Therefore, they were depicted in works dedicated to the most important events for the Russian state. Other status-significant territorial units (historical regions, cities, fortresses) were usually depicted in connection with the annexation. The units of modern administrative division could be depicted as personification on a utilitarian object – on a map.

Most of the images of personifications of the Russian Empire with allegorical figures of its constituent lands have not been preserved. As follows from the few surviving examples, in such cases, the personification of the Russian Empire has always played a dominant role, and the personifications of the territories in its composition accompanied it as an entourage. The joint depictions of the personifications of the empire and its possessions have always been associated with events of national importance: a visual expression of the submission of the personified territories to the power of the emperor or their sadness at the loss of the ruler was a way to glorify the power of the Russian Empire and its sovereign in the language of allegory.