an invitation to girls to be more than mere daughters—a challenge to be educated and empowered by the state—and to take a leading role in their own lives. Although the school opened its doors in 1870, it was primarily an orphanage until the death of its benefactress, Queen Maria in 1900. Anticipating that the Queen would want to commemorate her husband and child, the princesses and their teachers at the orphanage decided to paint a portrait of the young child. Their painting is a poignant reminder that the future of this institution depended entirely on the legacy of the only true monarch in their family, and that the queen mother was more than just a regent for her daughter. This painting stands as one of many examples of women’s empowerment in early modern Russia. The girls were also educated on the importance of taking action on political issues such as child-rearing. Empowered to change their futures, they became leaders for their future generation. By Catherine Ibbetson. Catherine Ibbetson is an independent researcher specializing in early modern Russian history and was educated at the University of Cambridge. Image Source: Wikipedia Commons Share this: Twitter Facebook More Email LinkedIn Reddit Print Like this: Like Loading... Related Tags: Anna Menshikova, Children's rights, Empowerment of girls, Hobby Horse Theater, School, Statue of Peter the Great, The School in Saint Petersburg, Triumph of Education