Alexandra Feodorovna in private

Like many families of their day, that of Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra were inveterate amateur photographers.  None of them terribly adept, they made up for a lack of skill with volume; many, many private family scrapbooks were filled with their efforts.  These faded and worn photographs of the last tsaritsa of Russia look to have been later removed from just such a scrapbook.  Most likely taken by one or another of her four daughters, they catch their mother in unguarded moments, dressed and prepared for a grand event - the like of which was always such a great trial for the Empress - or merely sitting in the sun.