Alexandra Feodorovna was Queen Victoria's granddaughter and is best remembered as the last Tsarina of Russia. Alexandra became Empress of Russia when she married Nicholas II in November 1894, but this portrait dates from the year of her coronation, 1896.
Painted for Queen Victoria, who described how she had found 'Alicky' on her visit at that time more beautiful than ever. Alexandra wears a white laced evening dress with a long sautoir of pearls, and yellow roses, at her breast. Von Angeli was paid £262 10s for the portrait on 26 May 1897. There had not been time to paint the Tsar.