The picture can be considered as a product of the artistic program "World of Art". In the image of mysterious Lady, Somov depicted his classmate at the Academy of Arts - Elizabeth Martinov (1868-1905). He "masquerades" her dress in the era of romanticism style, but the miracle of transformation does not happen - we still see face of ill and sad contemporary.

The portrait of poet-symbolist Alexander Aleksandrovich Blok (1880-1921) was created by artist who shared poet's aesthetic views, world perception and artistic tendencies. Painter depicts Block's as a sacred mask, thus revealing mysterious and private world of the poet, his genuine character and individuality, as if it would emerge from eternity.