After he painted Katharina the Great as Minerva, the tsarina invited him to St. Petersburg in 1788. He executed several portraits of the Russian nobility, among them miniature portraits. His portrait of Platon Zubov was created in 1790 and is an important example of the early period of Borowikowski.

Platon Alexandrovitch Zubov is said to be the last favorite of Katharina the Great. Thanks to the patronage of the Count Saltykov his military career went smoothly and fast, which made him a member of the closest circle of the tsarina. After the death of Count Potjemkin, he steadily gained more political influence, however, after the tsarina died, Zubov got into disfavor, lost political ...