"Fyodor Dostoevsky and Maria Skobtsova", acrylic on canvas, 2021

Mother Maria Skobtsova admired the dramatic Dostoevsky. In this contemporary icon of young Maria, it can be seen that she is eagerly rushing toward her martyrdom. Here, the painter-portraitist, who put the Moscow domes and the Eiffel Tower in the background, conveys a restrained but persuasive smile, which, combined with a sideways glance, hints at her future life as a martyr. Young and beautiful, foreboding where she is going, Marija reveals that unique personal expression with an incomparable smile, which is rarely found in portraits.