This is how almost all the most dramatic, craziest love stories began. Russian autocrat Paul I at the ball drew attention to the daughter of the Moscow senator Anna Lopukhina... And the whole world suddenly instantly transformed for him. Where did the imperial equanimity, restraint and self-control go? Unacceptable feelings poured out like a tsunami, washing away endless worries and anxieties about the fate of Russia into the foggy distance. The once ardent interest in the favorite Nelidova instantly cooled. In the heart of the sovereign there was now only her, a young, divine creature, and she remained there until the terrible death of Paul I. To this day, from the canvases of artists who painted portraits of Lopukhina, a charming young woman with large dark eyes looks at us, as if saying: “I was born for a quiet family life, but, alas, it turned out completely differently...”