Alexander (1777-1825) was the eldest son of Paul I, to whose murder he may have been a party, and whom he succeeded in 1801. In 1793, he married Marie Louise of Baden. After repulsing Napoleon's attempt to conquer Russia in 1812, he led his troops across Europe and into Paris in 1814 and helped form the Holy Alliance with other European powers. He was named constitutional monarch of Poland in 1815, and also annexed Finland, Georgia and Bessarabia (roughly present day Moldova) to Russia. Here he is wearing Imperial Russian uniform with the ribbon of St Andrew, the ribbon, stars and crosses of St Andrew, St George, the Sword (Sweden), Maria Theresa (Austria) and the Iron Cross of Prussia.

Alexander I’s portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence (RCIN 404942) is also in the Royal Collection.

This is a variation of a miniature of Alexander I painted by Jean Baptiste Isabey in Vienna in 1815 and now in the Louvre in Paris. It was a very popular portrait and many copies were made by various artists, including Henri Benner and Madame Lefebvre.

There are trade labels on the back inscribed: 14079 / C.CS / C – .