Matvei Ivanovich (1757-1818) was a Cossack general, distinguished at the battle of Borodino and during the French retreat from Moscow. He became hetman (commander) of the Cossacks in 1801. Here he is wearing the uniform of a general in the Cossack army, ribbon (blue) and cross of St Andrew, crosses of St George, St Vladimir, St Anne, Malta and the Order of Merit. He was extremely popular with his own troops and was celebrated across Europe after the war. Ivanovich was part of the Russian mission to London in 1814, though he could speak neither English nor French and is generally described as something of a wild man. His portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence is also in the Royal Collection (RCIN 405146).

This miniature is based on an original oil portrait by the Hungarian artist John Rombauer, who was working in. St Petersburg in the early nineteenth century. A similar miniature portrait by an unknown artist is in the Historical Museum in Moscow. The identity of this artist is also unknown.