Alexander Feodorovich Labzin was a leading person of the Russian Enlightenment, who also founded an influential masonic lodge in St. Petersburg. He received favour from Tsar Paul I of Russia, and from his son, Tsar Alexander I of Russia. However, he was exiled in 1822 to Ulyanovsk, where he died three years later.

There exists four variants of this portrait in different quality, all registered as painted by Borovikovsky. Labzin's face and upper body are the same, but otherwise the portraits include various elements that are used differently in the paintings. E.g. Labzin’s hands are placed differently, he is holding either a book or compasses in his hand, or the compasses are placed on a book on the table. In one portrait he is also holding a magnifying glass in the other hand. To the left is alternately seen a hat with silver lace, a bust on a table, or a figure on a column. To the right is alternately seen the round or square backrest of Labzin’s chair with or without books in the upper background. The portraits are in different sizes, on different media but dated within the same range of years.

The Tretyakov Gallery owns three portraits: 1. Dated 1805, oil on zink, 14×11.5 cm., oval. 2. Dated 1805–1809, oil on cardboard, 19.6×14.7 cm., oval in a rectangle. 3. Dated after 1816, oil on canvas, 75.5×62 cm., rectangular.

The Hermitage Museum owns the fourth portrait: 4. Dated c. 1809, oil on canvas, 74.8×61 cm., rectangular.

Compared to the four above mentioned, this present portrait must be considered as an independent work and a fifth variant. In this portrait Labzin is holding compasses in his hand and a magnifying glass is lying on a book. To the left is a bust on a table with books. In the lower right corner is a figure with the round backrest of his chair above. Finally, there is draped cloth in the upper right background.

Provenance: Private Norwegian owner. The ownership before is unknown.