The present paper on Stephano Torelli’s portrait of Catherine II is a sequel to the one examining her portrait by Vigilius Eriksen. Together they offer an interpretation of the two portraits of the Empress in “Russian dresses”, which are in fact completely different both in the sort of dress depicted and ideas behind them, in the light of the conceptual fields of the terms “people” (French)/ Volk (German) which was translated into Russian, as revealed by Ingrid Schierle, as “народ” implying sociological meaning and “nation” (French)/Nation (German) usually translated into Russian as “государство” or “отечество”. The paper provides a version for which event the dress Catherine wears in Torelli’s portrait could be prepared which could be dances during Christmastide (sviatki). On the basis of comparison with period visual materials (folk dress, plates from ethnographic books, portraits of peasant and merchant women) it reveals to what extent is such representation of folk costume authentic. Further, it specifies the contexts in which the portrait should be interpreted, reveals the ideas it embodies, and examines artistic traits which make it an efficient instrument of implementing certain ideas. Whilst Vigilius Eriksen’s portrait offers an image of boyar attire which implies glorious centuries-long history of Russian state, Torelli’s portrait implies “Russianness” as a traditional way of life preserved in lower social strata. The first image became the model of Russian court dress and was promoted in academic history painting, the latter remained in the sphere of court amusements demonstrating social harmony