Pictures Dated 3rd June 2010

Portrait of a middle-aged man in a blue cloak, Romano-Egyptian mummy portrait, late 1st century. Artist: Unknown

Portrait of a middle-aged man in a blue cloak, Romano-Egyptian mummy portrait, late 1st century. Such portraits were apparently kept at home during the subject's lifetime and added on his death to his mummified corpse. They are often known as Fayum portraits after the place in Egypt where many of them were found. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow.

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'Portrait of Count Boris Sheremetev', 1760. Artist: Ivan Argunov

'Portrait of Count Boris Sheremetev', 1760. Boris Sheremetev (1652-1719) was a Russian diplomat and soldier during the reign of Peter the Great. He commanded the Russian army during the Great Northern War, fought between Russia and Sweden and its allies from 1700 until 1721. Found in the collection of the State Museum of Ceramics and Country estate of 18th century, Kuskovo, Moscow.

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'Portrait of Count-Duke of Olivares', 1638. Artist: Diego Velasquez

'Portrait of Count-Duke of Olivares', 1638. Gaspar de Guzman, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587-1645) was a favourite and minister of King Philip IV of Spain. He embarked on an unsuccessful attempt to recapture the Netherlands during the Thirty Years War, and this, together with his domestic policies that led to revolts in Portugal and Catalonia, brought about Guzman's downfall in 1643. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St Petersburg.

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