Family Photograph 4

This family photo taken in 1907 in Moscow was deliberately staged to include the portrait of Ksenia, the artists oldest daughter.  She tragically died of diphtheria at age 5 just as her father had nearly completed an oil painting of her.  After she died, Stember waited 2 years, until his second daughter Natalia turned five and had her sit to complete the hands and details of Ksenias portrait. The setting for this photograph was meant to include all the 5 Stember children on a Happy Easter day.  There are other family pictures that are also staged in this way to include Ksenia.