The picture above is entitled “Portrait of Duchess Samoilova Departing from the Ball with Amalicia Paccini, Her Adopted Daughter” (1842) by Karl Briullov (1799–1852). The mask is taken off. A moment more, and the heavy velvet curtain falls behind the woman and her daughter, separating them from all the trumpery of high society, forever. It’s her choice, you know, and an awful drama is left behind the curtain.
