I continue to publish portraits from the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace according to the inventory of D. Rovinsky. The list of used literature is in the first part. Once again I want to remind you that all amendments, additions and corrections are only welcome.
1 part:
http://baronet65.livejournal.com/56542.html
17. Tsarevich Alexey Petrovich (1690-1718)
Son of Tsar Peter I.
No. 5360 size: 18x13.5
Copy of the middle of the 19th century from a lifetime portrait by Tannauer (the original is in the Hermitage).
Gatchina Palace Museum.
18. Princess Charlotte Sofia (1694-1715)
Princess of Brunswick-Lüneburg elastic Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich,
No. 4385 size: 17.75x14.15
Lifetime portrait by an unknown artist. Baron Quesne considered it the work of Tannauer. I give the image from a photograph of Klinder in 1865.
Location unknown.
No. 5359 size: 18x13.5.
Copy of the middle of the 19th century from a lifetime portrait by an unknown artist.
19. Princess Anna Petrovna (1708-1728)
Daughter of Tsar Peter I, Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp.
No. 4383 size: 15x12
Lifetime portrait, painted around 1716. Currently considered the work of I. Nikitin.
No. 5388 size: 18x14.5
A copy of the middle of the 19th century from a lifetime portrait by L. Caravak.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
princesses Anna Petrovna and Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Tsar Peter I.
No. 6690 size: 22x16
Portrait by L.Karavak.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
20. Tsarevich Petr Petrovich (1715-1719)
Son of Tsar Peter I.
No. 6690 size: 22x16
A copy of the work of N. Tyutryumov of the middle of the 19th century from a lifetime portrait by L. Caravak.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
21. Princess Natalya Petrovna (1718-1725)
Daughter of Tsar Peter I.
No. 5358 size: 21.5x16
A copy of the work of V. Bovin of the mid-19th century from a lifetime portrait by L. Caravak.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
22. Emperor Peter II Alekseevich (1715-1730).
Son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, grandson of Tsar Peter I.
No. 5361 size: 58.75x46
Lifetime portrait by Ludden or Caravaque. Wortman's famous engraving was made from it. I give the image according to the book "300 years of the Romanov dynasty" ed. Lapin 1913
Location unknown.
No. 5357 size: 18x14.5
Lifetime portrait by Ludden c. 1728
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
23. Princess Ekaterina Ioannovna (1691-1733).
daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
No. 5345 size: 21.5x16
A copy of the middle of the 19th century from the lifetime image of the princess.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
24. Princess Praskovia Ioannovna (1794-1731).
daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich
No. 5347 size: 21.6x16.5
A copy of the middle of the 19th century from an unknown lifetime image of the princess. Rovinsky believed that this portrait depicts Catherine I. I give the image from a photograph of Klinder in 1865.
Location unknown.
25. Empress Anna Ioannovna (1693-1740).
daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, Duchess of Courland.
No. 5346 size: 21.35x16
One of the variants of the portrait of the Empress by Caravaca, or a copy from it. An engraving by Elliger was made from it.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5362 size: 58.75x46
A modified copy of the end of the 18th century by G. Buchholz from the original lifetime portrait by L. Caravak. (the original is in the Tretyakov Gallery).
Great Peterhof Palace.
26. Ruler Anna Leopoldovna (1720-1748)
Princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Princess Catherine Ioannovna, granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich.
No. 6865 size: 27.5x22.5
Lifetime portrait (presumably the work of Caravaca.)
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
27. Emperor John Antonovich(1740-1764).
The son of the ruler Anna Leopoldovna.
No. 5333 size: 17.5x14.5
Portrait by an unknown artist of the 18th century, most likely during his lifetime.
State Hermitage. St. Petersburg
28. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1761)
Daughter of Tsar Peter I.
No. 6192 size: 23x16.
Portrait by an unknown artist (Baron Kene believed that the portrait of Elizabeth was 16 years old). Rovinsky that in this portrait is Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna (the first wife of Paul I). I give the image from a photograph of Klinder in 1865.
Location unknown.
No. 6244 size: 9x6.25
I couldn't find the exact image. There is only a description of it by Baron Kene: “a picture presented by His Imperial Majesty Prince Alexander Lobanov-Rostovsky, represents the princess in a dress made of silver brocade with gold patterns, in a blue velvet mantle lined with ermine, and with the signs of the Order of St. Catherine over her shoulder.
There are portraits similar to this description in the Stockholm Museum (Sweden), the Kadriorg Museum (Estonia) and in the Kuskovo Museum (where there were many copies of portraits from the Romanov Gallery). However, these paintings are much larger.
The image is a portrait of Princess Elizaveta Petrovna from the Kuskovo Museum.
Location unknown.
No. 4382 size: 15x12.
It has not yet been possible to accurately identify this portrait. There is information that this is a portrait of Elizabeth in a man's suit of 1745, which is considered the work of Caravaque (approximately suitable in size). There is another version of the same portrait, which is in the timing. I would appreciate any information on this subject.
State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow.
No. 5366 size: 14.5x10.5.
Portrait by the court painter G. Groot, 1748. There is a copy of this portrait, which is in the State Russian Museum.
State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow.
No. 5363 size: 59x46.
Portrait by the French artist J. Toque 1758
State Hermitage. SPb.
29. Emperor Peter III Fedorovich(1728-1762).
Son of Princess Anna Petrovna, grandson of Tsar Peter I.
No. 5383 size: 36.25x26.5
Portrait by G. Groot (or a copy), paired with the portrait of Ekaterina Alekseevna (No. 5384). I give the image according to the book “Sovereigns from the House of the Romanovs. 1613 - 1913. Lives of the reigning sovereigns and sketches of their reigns. Volume 1 M. Sytin edition. 1913
Location unknown.
No. 5385 size: 13.5x11.5
Portrait by G. Groot 1748
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5364 size: 58.75x46.
Portrait by A. Antropov, who painted several portraits of the emperor. A copy of this portrait was in the Senate.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
Grand Duke Petr Fedorovich and his wife the Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna.
No. 6695 dimensions are missing.
Wedding portrait by G. Groth 1745
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
30. Empress Ekaterina II Alekseevna(1729-1762).
Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, wife of Emperor Peter III.
No. 5384 size: 36.5x26.5
Portrait by G. Groot (or a copy), paired with the portrait of Pyotr Fedorovich (No. 5383).
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5380 dimensions are missing.
Equestrian portrait by V. Eriksen, 1762. There are copies of this portrait - in the Grand Palace of Peterhof, the State Russian Museum and in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.
State Hermitage. SPb.
No. 5365 size: 58.75x45.5
Portrait by V. Eriksen, 1762. There are two smaller copies of this portrait, one in the Russian Museum, the other in the Chinese Palace (Oranienbaum).
State Hermitage. SPb.
No. 5434 size: 16.25x12.25
Portrait by V. Eriksen, 1779. Reduced copy of the portrait (No. 5365).
No. 5369 size: 16x13.75
Portrait by V. Eriksen 1769
State Hermitage. SPb.
No. 5368 size: 16x13.75
Portrait by P. Shibanov, who painted the Empress from life, during her stay in Kyiv in 1787, during her journey to the Crimea. An engraving by Elliger was made from it.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5370 size: 13.5x11.25
Portrait by I. Lampi 1793 (a sketch of a large portrait from the Hermitage, which was also previously in the Romanov Gallery). Depicted with allegorical figures of Saturn and History.
State Russian Museum. SPb.
: I am starting to publish portraits from the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace. Her inventory was made by D. Rovinsky in the 1880s and published in the 4th volume of his work "Detailed Dictionary of Russian Engraved Portraits". Next to each portrait is its number according to the general Hermitage catalog and the size (in inches, which I decided not to count). But, unlike Rovinsky, I arrange the portraits not in alphabetical order, but in pedigree order.
I have tried (where possible) to give the history of each portrait and its current location. I reproduce only those portraits that are in this inventory, and all data obtained from other sources (since the composition of the Romanov Gallery has changed) will be published in the appendix.
Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace
01. Patriarch Filaret (Fyodor Nikitich Romanov) (1554-1633).
Father of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
No. 6684 size: 20 x 16
There is no lifetime image of Patriarch Philaret; the portrait for the gallery was painted by the artist N. Tyutryumov in 1861 based on an engraving by Shtenglin and the 17th century Titular.
Gatchina Palace Museum.
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02 Xenia Ioannovna Romanova (born Shestova) (died in 1631).
Mother of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
No. 5334 size: 21.5 x 16
A copy of V. Bovin (c. 1847) from a portrait of the late 18th century (possibly also a copy from an older original), located in the Old Peterhof Palace.
Now in a private collection.
03 Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich (1596-1645).
Son of Fyodor Nikitich and Xenia Ioannovna Romanov.
No. 5336 size: 19.5 x 13.5
Portrait of the end of the 18th century, from an unknown original (possibly "Titular" of the 17th century or an engraving by Olearius). Copied many times.
Location unknown.
04 Tsaritsa Evdokia Lukyanovna (ur. Streshneva) (1608-1645).
The second wife of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
No. 6685 size: 20 x 16
A copy of the artist T. Neff from an old painting original, which was in the possession of G. Glebov-Streshnev.
05 Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1625-1676).
Son of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
No. 5339 size: 28.25 x 21.25
Lifetime portrait of the 17th century, painted by an unknown German or Dutch artist before 1670 (an engraving was made from this year). The oldest portrait in the Romanov Gallery.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
06 Tsaritsa Natalya Kirillovna (nee Naryshkina) (1651-1694).
The second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
No. 5343 size: 28.25 x 21.33
A copy of the 19th century from a portrait painted by the artist Choglokov “in repose” (as a memory of the deceased), which was in the Naryshkin family. There are many other copies of this portrait (State Hermitage Museum, Chuvash Art Gallery, Kuskovo ...).
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5337 size: 13x10.5
Fragmentary late 18th century copy of the same original. Considered the work of Carl Schurmann.
State Russian Museum. SPb.
07 Princess Marfa Alekseevna (1652-1707).
No. 6687 size: 22 x 16.5
Daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. A copy was made by the artist N. Tyutryumov in 1861 from the original, which was in the Alexander Assumption Monastery, where Princess Martha died (it was abducted from there in 1986 and has not yet been found).
08 Tsarevich Alexei Alekseevich (1654-1670).
No. 6686 size: 21.5 x 16.5
The portrait for the gallery was painted by the artist N. Tyutryumov in 1861 according to the 17th century "Titular Book" from the Public Library of St. Petersburg - the only surviving lifetime image of the prince.
Location unknown. I give the image from a photograph of Klinder in 1865.
09 Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich (1661-1682).
Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
No. 6688 size: 28 x 22.5
The portrait for the gallery was painted by the artist N. Tyutryumov in 1861 based on various images (including those from the Armory in Moscow).
10 Queen Marfa Matveevna (ur. Apraksina) (1664-1715).
The second wife of Tsar Fedor Alekseevich.
No. 6694 size: 22 x 16.5
Early 18th century portrait or later copy.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
11 Princess Sofia Alekseevna (1657-1704)
daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
No. 4396 size: 26.5 x 23
According to some sources - the original of the 17th century, according to others - a copy from the original, which was in Moscow (now in the State Historical Museum).
State Hermitage. SPb.
12 Princess Natalya Alekseevna (1673-1716).
daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich
No. 5342 size: 23 x 16
The portrait of the beginning of the 18th century is considered by modern researchers to be the work of the portrait painter I. Nikitin. (Baron Quesne considered this portrait to be the work of Tannauer). There are 2 more similar portraits of Princess Natalia, one in the Russian Museum, the other in Pavlovsk.
State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow
13 Tsar Ivan Alekseevich (1666-1696).
Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
No. 5348 size: 28.6 x 22.5
Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. It is considered a portrait of the end of the 17th century, created “in remembrance” (as a memory of the deceased), from which an engraving by F. Mattarnovi and numerous pictorial copies were later made (Kuskovo, State Historical Museum).
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
14 Emperor Peter I Alekseevich (1672-1725).
Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
No. 6689 size: 54 x 31.5
A copy specially made for the Romanov Gallery in Great Britain by the artist Belly in the 1860s from the original by G. Neller, who painted the Tsar from life in 1697 during his stay in Holland. The original is in the English Royal Paintings Collection and served as a model for the creation of many images of Peter, sometimes faintly similar to each other.
State Hermitage. SPb.
No. 5350 size: 18.13 x 13.6
The portrait is now believed to be the work of Tannauer, painted around 1717. Baron Kene considered it the work of Kupetsky. There are many copies of this painting, the original is either in the State Hermitage or the Tretyakov Gallery.
State Tretyakov Gallery Moscow.
No. 5390 size: 32 x 30
so-called. “Portrait of Peter I against the backdrop of a sea battle” was most likely written in the 1710s. There are many versions of who the author of this picture is. Baron Kene considered it the work of Kupetsky, Vasilchikov - the work of Tannauer, modern researchers are inclined to believe that this is the work of I. Nikitin. Details about it can be read here:
http://www.reenactor.ru/ARH/PDF/Shmakova.pdf
State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo".
No. 5355 size: 19.75 x 16.5
The portrait is considered to be the work of the famous French painter Hyacinthe Rigaud, presented to Emperor Nicholas I gr. S. S. Uvarov, who inherited it from his father-in-law - gr. A. K. Razumovsky. Vasilchikov writes: “The tradition of the Razumovsky family said that Peter, during his stay in Paris, went into the studio of Rigaud, who painted a portrait of him, did not find him at home, saw his unfinished portrait, cut out his head from a large canvas with a knife and took it with him. he presented the portrait to his daughter, Elizaveta Petrovna, and she, in turn, granted it to Count Alexei Grigoryevich Razumovsky." After the liquidation of the Romanov Gallery, the portrait was sent first to the Russian Museum, and then to the Simferopol State Museum.
No. 6671 size: 14 x 11.5
15 Tsaritsa Evdokia Fedorovna (ur. Lopukhina) (1669-1731).
The first wife of Tsar Peter Alekseevich.
No. 5340 size: 19 x 13.6
The original of the beginning of the 18th century, or a copy from it. Most likely, it was written during the reign of Emperor Peter II (Eudokia's grandson). There are many copies of this portrait and its authenticity is unknown.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
16 Empress Catherine I Alekseevna (ur. Skavronskaya) (1684-1727).
The second wife of Tsar Peter Alekseevich.
No. 5391 size: 32 x 30
A portrait by the famous French painter J. Nattier (or a good copy from him), written in 1717, during the stay of Peter and Catherine in Holland (the portrait of Peter I is paired with him in Tsarskoye Selo).
State Hermitage. SPb.
No. 5392 size: 18 x 13.5
Portrait by court painter L. Caravaca.
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
No. 5356 size: 18.13 x 13.75
Portrait by an unknown artist (possibly Caravaca or Wedekind). I give the image from a photograph of Klinder in 1865.
Location unknown.
No. 5387 size: 58.75 x 44.75
The portrait by I. Adolsky, written in 1726, was repeatedly copied and repeated (a close version is in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace).
State Russian Museum. St. Petersburg
To be continued...
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Edition of A. E. Burtsev. St. Petersburg: [Artist. chromo-type. A.K. Veyerman], 1913. Two title pages. Text and portraits in a beautiful ornamental frame. H=31 cm. The publication was published in 8 editions. Issues 1-4 were published under the title "The Russian Royal House of the Romanovs"; Issues 5-8 - "Gallery of portraits of the reigning House of Romanov". Issues 5-8 are not numbered. Hood. academician A. Klinder and others. 99 p.179 ill. In 2 morocco bindings of the era with gold stamping on covers and spines. Triple gold trim. A copy from the library of Tsarskoye Selo.In complete form, a rarity!
Issue. 1: Russian Royal House of Romanovs. 1913. Mikhail Fedorovich (Russian Tsar, 1596 - 1645). 55 p., l. portrait, ill. .
Issue. 2: Russian Royal House of Romanovs. 1913. 1. Mikhail Fedorovich (Russian Tsar, 1596 - 1645) - Portraits. 2. Alexei Mikhailovich (Russian Tsar, 1629 - 1676) - Portraits. 3. Fedor Alekseevich (Russian Tsar; 1661 - 1682 p., l. portr., ill.
Issue. 3: Russian Royal House of Romanovs. 1913. 1. Peter I (emperor of Russia, 1672 - 1725) - Portraits. 2. Catherine I (Empress of Russia, 1684 - 1727) - Portraits. 3. Peter II (emperor of Russia, 1715 - 1730) - c. 57-68, fol. portrait
Issue. 4: Russian Royal House of Romanovs. 1913. Anna Ivanovna (Empress of Russia (1693 - 1740)); Portraits. 2. Elizaveta Petrovna (Empress of Russia; 1709 - 1762) - Portraits. 3. Peter III (Emperor of Russia; 1728 - 1762) - Portraits. 4. Catherine II ( Empress of Russia, 1729 - 1796) - c. 69-80, L. portrait.
[Issue. 5]: Gallery of portraits of the reigning Romanov dynasty. . Pavel I Petrovich (1796-1801).Portraits. 2. Alexander I (emperor of Russia, 1777 - 1825)- . - c. 81-86, l. portrait - For additional tit. l. typo in date: (1796-1810).
[Issue. 6]: Gallery of portraits of the reigning House of Romanov. . Emperor Nicholas I Pavlovich, 1825-1855. - . - c. 87-89, l. portrait .
[Issue. 7]: Gallery of portraits of the reigning Romanov dynasty. . Emperor Alexander II Nikolaevich (1855-1881). c. 90-93, l. portrait
[Issue. 8]: Gallery of portraits of the reigning House of Romanov. . Nicholas II. Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia. . - s., l. portrait
"The Gallery of Portraits of the Reigning House of Romanov" was prepared for a significant date for Russia - the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty and published in 8 editions.The album consistently presents portraits of all members of the royal family, starting from Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov and ending with portraits of family members of the last tsar of this dynasty - Nicholas II. In total, the publication contains 179 images.
Let's take Issue 5 for example. This publication covers the time period from 1796 to 1825 and contains portraits of Emperor Paul I, Emperor Alexander I and members of their families. The portrait gallery itself is preceded by brief essays on Paul I and Alexander I, which also provide general information about the fate of the numerous children of Emperor Paul (the emperor had 10 children from his second marriage). In the essays, information is presented exclusively in a positive way, which is quite understandable - after all, the publication is jubilee. It is curious, for example, that the cause of death of Emperor Paul, who was killed as a result of a conspiracy, is called a "strike" (as they would say today - a stroke). But still, the most important thing in this edition is the portraits of the members themselves. royal family, among which there are unique specimens. The rarity of some engravings is noted in the edition itself. Among the "ceremonial" images with standard poses, there are also such works as a very warm family portrait of Alexander I with his wife Elizaveta Alekseevna. One of the portraits depicts the first wife of Paul I, Natalya Alekseevna, who died early from childbirth. Great interest present images of children, for example, Grand Dukes Alexander Pavlovich (the future Emperor Alexander I) and Konstantin Pavlovich - kids 4-5 years old, posing with sabers and a banner.
Burtsev, Alexander Evgenievich(1863 - 1938) - Russian publisher, collector of autographs of Russian writers and rare books, bibliographer, banker, merchant of the first guild, philanthropist and philanthropist, honorary citizen of St. Petersburg. Born in the Vologda province in a prosperous peasant family. In 1882 he moved to St. Petersburg and worked as a clerk in a change shop. Then he got a job in the change office of his older brother, where he worked as a manager until 1917. Even in his youth, Alexander Evgenievich became interested in books and began to buy rare editions. From 1892 to 1893 he traveled around the Russian North, where he studied and recorded folklore. From the 1890s, he expanded the boundaries of his interests as a collector and began to collect antiquities, paintings with scenes of Russian life, manuscripts, and rare church utensils. Since 1896, he began a fruitful publishing activity, which resulted in more than two hundred unique publications (ethnographic materials, manuscripts, descriptions of rare books and documents, collections of engravings and watercolors, etc.). He was the editor of several of his own almanacs and magazines (“Collector: an art and bibliographic magazine”, “My magazine: for lovers of art and antiquity”, “For the few: an art collection published by A.E. Burtsev”, etc.).
Burtsev took care of some artists for a long time, acting as a patron of the arts. In particular, these were such artists as K.S. Petrov-Vodkin, B.D. Grigoriev, N.P. Sapunov, S.Yu. Sudeikin, N.K. Roerich. In his house on Basseinaya Street (Nekrasova 10, architect I.P. Volodikhin), created for expositions, Alexander Evgenievich arranged exhibitions and presentations. At the end of 1918, all the capitals of Alexander Evgenievich were canceled, the mansion was nationalized. During the NEP, thanks to M. Gorky, Burtsev opened a bookstore, and in the late 1920s he became a member of the library at the Pedagogical Institute. A. I. Herzen. In 1935, together with his wife, daughter and granddaughter, he was exiled to Astrakhan. On October 29, 1938 Burtsev Alexander Evgenievich and Burtseva (Markelova) Paraskeva Domianovna were arrested and shot. Extract from the book of memory: "Burtsev Alexander Evgenievich. Lived: Astrakhan. Sentenced: Troika at the UNKVD of the Stalingrad region. October 1, 1938, obv.: accused of having links with the Finnish consulate in Leningrad and Finnish intelligence. Sentence: VMN. Shot on October 29 1938 Rehabilitated in 1963", "Praskovya Demyanovna Burtseva. Lived: Astrakhan. Sentenced: Troika at the UNKVD of the Stalingrad Region. October 1, 1938, obv.: Accused of anti-Soviet agitation and connections with Finnish intelligence. Sentence: VMN. Shot on October 29, 1938. Rehabilitated in 1963." Most of the unique collection of Alexander Evgenievich ended up in state archives and private collections, part of the collection was inherited by the daughter of the Burtsevs. At the end of the forties, the inherited relics were transferred to the Central State Archive of Literature and Art. Irakly Andronikov became an active assistant and mediator in the transfer of relics.
Some fundamental editions of Burtsev:
1897 "Description of rare Russian books and manuscripts" 5 volumes
1899 "Additional Description of Bibliographically Rare, Artistically Remarkable Books and Precious Manuscripts" 6 volumes
1901 "A detailed bibliographic description of rare books and art publications" 7 volumes
1908" complete collection bibliographic and paleographic materials published at different times by A. E. Burtsev” 10 volumes
1910 - 1911 "Complete collection of ethnographic works of A. E. Burtsev" 11 volumes
1912 "Album from the life of the Russian schism and the Old Believers"
1912 - 1914 "Collection of paintings and drawings of the old and new Russian school"
1912 - 1914 "Woman in the paintings of Russian artists and in photographs from nature"
1913 "Gallery of portraits of the royal house of the Romanovs, from the collection of A. E. Burtsev" 8 issue.
1914 "The life of the Russian people, their manners and customs in the paintings of Russian artists and in photographs from nature"
In the history of Russian culture at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, a prominent place is occupied by collectors and philanthropists who came from the merchant environment. Everyone knows the names of the creators of large art collections - P.M. Tretyakov, brothers M.A. and I.A. Morozov, S.I. Schukin. Bibliophiles also had their own Tretyakovs, and Alexander Evgenievich Burtsev from St. Petersburg is one of them. Burtsev began to collect books in his youth, being an assistant to his uncle, a money changer. Having inherited a money-changing shop, he transformed it into a banking office, expanded the business and became rich. Along with the capital, his library grew as well. Having made it a rule to visit his acquaintances second-hand book dealers every day, Burtsev first bought collected works of Russian classics from them, then switched to first editions, and finally began to collect authentic letters, autographs and old manuscripts. In addition, he bought up paintings and drawings. Among his "suppliers" were I.E. Repin, N.K. Roerich, S.Yu. Sudeikin, K.S. Petrov-Vodkin. Over time, Burtsev's collection grew so much that he decided to organize the Museum of Russian Art and Literature, for which he built a special house with large exhibition halls at 10 Basseinaya. However, even before the creation of the museum, Burtsev began publishing descriptions of his collection. A man who is carried away and even reckless, he brought a merchant scale here too. Printed on expensive paper in an edition of 100-150 copies, designed by "expensive" artists, "dressed" in expensive bindings, the Burtsevo catalogs amazed not only by the quality of execution, but also by their volume, since they often contained not just descriptions of books, engravings, portraits and manuscripts, but entirely reprinted texts of a rare edition or autograph.
Suffice it to say that in his "bibliographies" Burtsev twice fully published Radishchev's "Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow." That is why his "Description of rare Russian books" was published in five volumes, "Archive of book and artistic rarities" - in six, and "Dictionary of rare books and engraved portraits" - in seven. Experts often called Burtsev a "graphomaniac bibliophile". Meanwhile, his publications, which played a significant role in the study and description of rare Russian books and graphics, eventually became rare themselves. The fate of Burtsev's collection was dramatic. His trading business fell into decline, and he began to sell the library, for which he opened his own bookstore. The oldest St. Petersburg bookseller F.G. Shilov said: “He sold cheaply, and his trade went on. Soon, however, Burtsev closed his shop and began to live by handing over sketches and paintings by Roerich, Sudeikin and other artists to the auction commission, and sold most of his archive to the Pushkin House and the Public Library. Burtsev lived to a ripe old age. Back in the early 1930s, in the second-hand bookshops of Leningrad, one could meet a nondescript, poorly dressed man - A.E. Burtsev. Burtsev died in 1937. During the war, his daughter, Olga Alexandrovna, took the remains of her father's collection to evacuate to Astrakhan. Some of the papers and drawings were missing there. Already in the 1950s, the literary critic I.L. Andronikov went to Aktyubinsk and purchased for the Central State Archive of Literature and Art everything that O.A. Burtsev, - 1508 manuscripts and documents, among which were discovered previously unknown autographs of M.V. Lomonosov, G.R. Derzhavin, N.M. Karamzin, M.Yu. Lermontova, N.V. Gogol, F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, A.P. Chekhov, A.A. Blok, S.A. Yesenin...
X artist Valentin Serov became famous as a portrait master. Among his customers were representatives of the imperial dynasty of the Romanovs - Serov painted more than ten portraits of the most august persons. We offer you to see the paintings of the famous Russian portrait painter and get acquainted with five representatives of the royal family.
Portrait of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich as a child
Portrait of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich as a child. 1893
About the portrait of his son, painted by Valentin Serov, Alexander III said: "Mishenka is like a living one." The artist managed to capture a brief moment of elusive childhood: in the picture we see Mikhail growing up, already almost a teenager. He is a little thoughtful, but in his eyes there is still a childish reverie. The Tsarevich is dressed in fashion late XIX century - in a white sailor suit. Thousands of ordinary boys also wore them at the turn of the century.
This painting is a study for a group portrait of the royal family. The painter was taken to work only three sessions, during which Mikhail and his sisters Ksenia and Olga posed for him. The rest had to be written from memory. For Serov, this approach was unusual: he usually worked for a long time, several months in a row, devoting Special attention details.
The group portrait was first exhibited in 1894 in the village of Borki, Kharkov province. In honor of the salvation of the royal family in a railway accident, a church and a chapel were erected here. At the celebrations for their consecration, a portrait of the family of Alexander III hung in a separate pavilion, but many viewers mistook it for an icon and stopped to cross themselves.
Today, the portrait of Mikhail Alexandrovich is kept in the State Russian Museum.
Portrait of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich
Portrait of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich. 1897
Portrait of Alexander III
Portrait of Alexander III. 1899
Alexander III Valentin Serov wrote several times. A group portrait of the imperial family in 1893 became the only canvas painted during the life of the monarch. The appearance of Alexander III in the painting of 1899 had to be recreated from memory. Valentin Serov also relied on photographs by the imperial photographer Sergei Levitsky.
In the picture, Alexander III looks both majestic and good-natured. He is depicted against the background of Fredensborg Palace in Copenhagen in the uniform of an honorary colonel of the Danish Royal Life Guards. This title was awarded to the Emperor by King Christian IX in 1879. Since then, during visits to Denmark, Alexander III always wore an officer's uniform: a cocked hat with blue and white plumes and a scarlet dress uniform. On it, in addition to the highest Russian awards, you can also see Danish ones: a blue ribbon, a star of the Order of the Elephant, a star and a cross of the Order of the Danebrog.
The artist traveled to Denmark several times to make sketches from nature. One of the sergeants posed for him near the palace instead of the emperor. The original imperial portrait is kept in Copenhagen, in the officers' fund of the Royal Life Guards.
Portrait of Emperor Nicholas II
Portrait of Emperor Nicholas II. 1900
Home portrait of Nicholas II, a gift to Alexandra Feodorovna, the artist created in just two meetings with the emperor. The original version of the painting has not been preserved: the revolutionaries who captured the Winter Palace ripped open the canvas with bayonets. However, Serov, having barely completed the portrait in 1900, immediately made a copy of it. He was worried about the fate of the painting, because the empress did not like her very much. During the sessions, Alexandra Feodorovna closely watched the artist and generously gave out advice on how to “correct” the face of Nicholas II in the portrait. In the end, Valentin Serov could not stand it, handed the empress a palette with brushes and invited her to finish the work herself.
The portrait of Nicholas II looks unfinished: it is written in broad free strokes without subtle light transitions, the details of the canvas are not worked out. But the execution of the picture reflects the idea of Valentin Serov. The artist wanted to show, first of all, a person - tired in the service, who came home after work. The canvas lacks the usual attributes of royal portraits - solemn interiors, ceremonial clothes, the highest awards. Nicholas II is depicted in the jacket of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, which he wore every day.
The canvas is stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
Exit of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna from Matins
Exit of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna from matins. No later than 1901
Typically, portrait drawings were created by artists of the 19th century as studies for large paintings. But the watercolor and pencil works of Valentin Serov are independent works of art.
The portrait of Alexandra Feodorovna is made in three colors: black, white and red. The artist built the composition of the picture so that the viewer looks at the image from the bottom up, because of this, the empress seems more majestic. Passing by the subjects, she detachedly responds to their signs of attention. With smooth lines, Valentin Serov drew a strict and refined cut of her dress, an airy cape dropped from her shoulders. On the contrary, he depicted those around him with emphasized straight and broken lines, their faces are practically indistinguishable, and their figures are angular.
About Alexandra Feodorovna, a foreigner by origin, it was often said that her relationship with the court did not work out. During solemn ceremonies, the empress behaved with restraint: she was embarrassed by communication with strangers. However, official events were an obligatory part of court life. Nicholas II wrote about one of them in his diary: “At 2 o'clock in Zimny, the ladies' steelyard began - 550 ladies! My dear Alix looked remarkably beautiful in a Russian dress.” In those years, the ceremony of kissing hands was called the steelyard.
A drawing depicting Empress Alexandra Feodorovna can be seen in the State Russian Museum.
Hermitage - portrait gallery Romanovs!The gallery, which received its current decoration in the 1880s, contains portraits of representatives of the Romanov dynasty - from the founder Russian Empire Peter I (1672-1725) to the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II (1868-1918). Starting from the reign of Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1761), who ordered the construction of the Winter Palace, the life of the imperial family was inextricably linked with the history of the buildings of the modern State Hermitage. Under Catherine II (1729-1796), the mistress of the Winter Palace since 1762, the Small and Large Hermitages and the Hermitage Theater were built. her grandson Nicholas I (1796-1855) ordered the construction of an imperial museum - the New Hermitage.
Portrait of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov
Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - the first tsar of the Romanov family, the so-called God-chosen Tsar, because he did not seize power, was not an heir, and did not even become king of his own free will. His father Fyodor Nikitich Romanov was a very influential person in the state, but he refused to take the scepter of government from the dying Ivan the Terrible, which did not prevent the then nobility and people, to put at the head of the State his son Michael, who at first refused ...
Mikhail Fedorovich (reigned from March 27, 1613), He was elected to reign by the Zemsky Sobor on February 21 (March 3), 1613. The son of the boyar Fyodor Nikitich Romanov (later - the Patriarch of Moscow Filaret) and the noblewoman Xenia Ivanovna Romanova (nee Shestova). He was a cousin-nephew of the last Russian tsar from the Moscow branch of the Rurik dynasty, Fedor I Ioannovich.
Portrait of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich
Alexey Mikhailovich Quiet(March 19, 1629 - January 29, 1676) - the second Russian tsar from the Romanov dynasty(July 14, 1645 - January 29, 1676), son of Mikhail Fedorovich and his second wife Evdokia.
Alexei Mikhailovich provided patronage to zealots of the Orthodox faith who advocated changes in church life. An innovation in the practice of worship was the sermons with which the priests addressed the parishioners. The tsar supported the reforms of the new Patriarch Nikon, considering the unification of church rites of the Russian and Greek churches a necessary prerequisite for the growth of international authority Russian state. However, soon, due to Nikon's claims to supreme power in the state, Alexei Mikhailovich broke off relations with him and, at a church council in 1666, acted as one of the main accusers of the patriarch. In the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, a split occurred in the Russian Orthodox Church. Opponents of church reform - the "Old Believers" more than once "revolted the people" against the tsar and the patriarch. The Solovetsky Monastery became the stronghold of the Old Believers. From 1668 to 1676. the royal governors could not bring the monks into obedience. The "Solovki seat" ended after the death of the tsar.
Portrait of Princess Sophia
After the death of the childless Fyodor Alekseevich, his brothers - physically weak 16-year-old Ivan and 10-year-old Peter - were both proclaimed tsars by Patriarch Joachim and the boyars. The Miloslavsky boyars, led by Sophia (Ivan's full-sister, but Peter's half-sister only by father) decided to challenge the royal dual power. In May 1682, Sophia managed to inspire the Streltsy rebellion. Sophia came to power, relying on her favorite Vasily Golitsyn and the archers. On September 15, 1682, she became regent for the young brothers Ivan and Peter.
In 1689, when Peter was 17 years old, the boyar Shaklovity tried in vain to raise archers to support the ruler Sophia. The young Tsar Peter I executed and exiled his sister's friends. Sophia was sent to the Novodevichy Monastery.
In 1698, Sophia was tonsured a nun under the name of Susanna.
Died 3 (14) July 1704, cut her hair before her death into the great schema, taking her former name, Sophia. She was buried in the Smolensky Cathedral of the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow.
Portrait of Peter I.
Peter II Alekseevich(12 (23) October 1715, St. Petersburg - 19 (30) January 1730, Moscow) - Russian Emperor, succeeded Catherine I on the throne.
Grandson of Peter I, son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and German princess Sophia-Charlotte of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the last representative of the Romanov family in the direct male line.
He ascended the throne on May 6 (17), 1727, when he was only eleven years old, and died at the age of 14 from smallpox.
Louis Tocque - Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. 1758
Coronation portrait of Emperor Peter III Fedorovich works by L. K. Pfantselt
Peter III Fedorovich (10.02.1728 - 6.07.1762x)
Parents: Karl Friedrich (1700-1739), Duke of Schleswig of Holstein-Gottorp, Anna Petrovna (1708-1728) - daughter of Peter I Catherine I
The mother of the boy, named at birth Karl-Peter-Ulrich, died shortly after his birth, and at the age of 11 he lost his father as well. In 1742, Peter was brought to Russia and his aunt, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, was proclaimed heir to the throne. He was baptized according to the Orthodox custom under the name of Peter Fedorovich, and in 1745 he was married to the princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Empress Catherine II.
Fedor Stepanovich Rokotov - Portrait of Catherine II
After relations with her husband finally deteriorated and dissatisfaction with the emperor on the part of the guard intensified, Catherine decided to participate in the coup. Her comrades-in-arms, the main of which were the Orlov brothers, sergeant major Potemkin and adjutant Fyodor Khitrovo, engaged in agitation in guards units and won them over to their side.
In the early morning of June 28 (July 9), 1762, while Peter III was in Oranienbaum, Catherine, accompanied by Alexei and Grigory Orlov, came from Peterhof to St. Petersburg, where the guards swore allegiance to her. Peter III, seeing the hopelessness of resistance, abdicated the next day, was taken into custody and died under unclear circumstances. After the abdication of her husband, Ekaterina Alekseevna ascended the throne as the reigning empress with the name of Catherine II, issuing a manifesto in which the basis for the removal of Peter was an attempt to change the state religion and peace with Prussia.
“Catherine made a double capture: she took away power from her husband and did not transfer it to her son, the natural heir of her father.”
Pavel I Petrovich- Mitrokhin A.F.
Russian emperor (1796-1801). Paul I ascended the throne with a well-known feeling of bitterness against his mother, who kept him away from business all the years of his reign. During his time as heir to the throne, he had to endure many hardships and family life since his sons were separated from him and raised by their grandmother. Around him, naturally, everything was grouped that was negatively related to the actions of the government of his mother. During the short reign of Pavel Petrovich, more profound and important changes than in a number of other reigns, and all these changes were very thoughtful and useful.
The most important state issue of succession to the throne was resolved by a special law, which remained in force until the revolution itself. The budget for the maintenance of the Church and for missionary activities was doubled, but all "gifts" to the newly baptized were cancelled. Peasant labor for landlords, “corvée”, has been reduced by 50%. Barracks for the troops were built, uniforms and allowances became excellent, discipline was restored. Censorship was introduced on books imported from abroad.
Roslin, Alexander - Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna.
Before the accession to the throne of Paul I, the Grand Duchess did not play a role either in politics or in Russian life in general, which is explained by the discord between Catherine II and her son. She was even excluded from the upbringing of her children (Grand Dukes Alexander and Constantine), whom immediately after their birth Catherine II took in and supervised their upbringing. She devoted her everyday life to the arrangement of her beloved residence in Pavlovsk, where she organized the first literary salon in Russia. Following the accession to the throne of Paul I, Maria Feodorovna, on November 12, 1796, was appointed "to lead the educational society of noble maidens." The Empress showed great energy and attracted many donations for the benefit of the society.
Maria Fedorovna fulfilled her main mission - ensuring the succession to the throne, more than thoroughly, giving birth to Pavel Petrovich ten children (double "royal norm").
Her merits in strengthening the Romanov dynasty, the mother-in-law-empress noted with the following phrase: “Really, madam, you are a craftswoman to bring children into the world.”
Richard Brompton. Portrait of Grand Dukes Alexander Pavlovich and Konstantin Pavlovich. 1781
Doe, George - Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.
Doe, George - Portrait of Alexander I
Alexander I, Alexander Pavlovich Romanov (12/12/1777, St. Petersburg - 11/19/1825, Taganrog), Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia since March 12 (24), 1801. Under Alexander I, the territories of Eastern Georgia (1801), Finland (1809) were annexed to Russia , Bessarabia (1812), Azerbaijan (1813), the former Duchy of Warsaw (1815). After Patriotic War 1812 led in 1813-14 the anti-French coalition of European powers. Was one of the leaders Congress of Vienna 1814-15 and organizers of the Holy Alliance.
Louise Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun. Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna- wife of Alexander I
Franz Krueger - Portrait of Emperor Nicholas I.
Nikolai Pavlovich Romanov - All-Russian Emperor (1825 - 1855). Third son of Emperor Paul I. He ascended the throne after the sudden death of his brother Alexander I, defeating the Decembrist uprising and beginning his reign by executing its leaders. N. I's education was limited to military engineering. By its nature, N. I was cruel, despotic. The political views of N. I were integral - the autocracy seemed to him an unshakable dogma, the concept of law remained inaccessible to him. The ultimate truth was his own ideas. Hence, the main quality that he demanded from the people around him was obedience. All this led to the establishment around Nicholas I of a system of lies, servility and hypocrisy.
He led an ascetic and healthy lifestyle; never missed Sunday services. He did not smoke and did not like smokers, did not drink strong drinks, walked a lot, and did drills with weapons. His strict adherence to the daily routine was known: the working day began at 7 o'clock in the morning, at exactly 9 o'clock - the acceptance of reports. He preferred to dress in a simple officer's overcoat, and slept on a hard bed.
He had a good memory and great working capacity; The working day of the king lasted 16 - 18 hours.
In 1817, Nicholas married Princess Charlotte of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm III, who after converting to Orthodoxy received the name Alexandra Fedorovna. The couple were each other's fourth cousins and sisters (they had a common great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother).
All her life, the Empress remained a fair coquette, without hesitation, wasting money in fashionable shops in Europe and in resorts, she loved to shine in public. Alexandra Fedorovna adored holidays and especially balls, at which she was always the first beauty: no one danced and dressed better than her in Russia. Family happiness was overshadowed by her frustrated health (she gave birth to 8 children and was so not used to the St. Petersburg climate: she was often sick and was forced to leave for European resorts for treatment), as well as the betrayal of her husband, a gentleman unusually attractive and indefatigable in love joys. Of the seven surviving children of the emperor, the first-born crown prince was especially distinguished by his data. Alexander (future Emperor Alexander II), Grand Duchess, later Queen of Württemberg Olga Nikolaevna(1822-1892), as well as the Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna(1825-1844) - an extraordinary beauty and talented singer who died of consumption a few months after her wedding to the heir to the Danish throne, Friedrich Wilhelm.
Christina Robertson - Portrait of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna(wife of Nicholas I) 1840
Christina Robertson(1796-1854) - Scottish artist. She spent many years in Russia at the imperial court, where she became widely known. Christina Robertson is considered one of the most talented artists of the mid-19th century, and this is a significant achievement for a woman and mother of many children. In 1839 Christina Robertson takes part in an exhibition at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Already in 1840, she was ordered two full-length portraits: Emperor Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. After that, Robertson received a huge number of orders. The second visit to Russia turned out to be a long one for the artist (from 1847 to 1854). Here she paints many portraits. In 1953, her health deteriorated and Christina Robertson may have financial difficulties (there is evidence that some of the customers refused to pay for the artist's work). Christina Robertson died in St. Petersburg in 1854 and was buried at the Volkovsky cemetery.
Portrait of Princess Olga Nikolaevna and Princess Alexandra Nikolaevna. 1840
Olga Nikolaevna (daughter of Nicholas I), Alexandra Nikolaevna (daughter of Nicholas I).
Krueger, Franz Portrait led. book. Alexander Nikolaevich- (future Emperor Alexander II)
The Grand Duchess was happy: a happy wife, a happy mother, a happy daughter-in-law, adored by her father-in-law Nicholas I. In 1856, after the death of Nicholas I, Alexander II became emperor, and Maria Alexandrovna became empress.
After the death of Empress Dowager Alexandra Feodorovna in 1860, Maria Alexandrovna devoted her life to charity and women's education and did many charitable deeds.
Luxury left Maria Alexandrovna indifferent. She had a huge amount of jewelry, but rarely wore them. She turned gold and silver things into money and gave them to charity. She refused expensive gifts, and accepted from the sovereign only money, which was also intended for those in need. Anarchist Pyotr Alekseevich Kropotkin wrote about the Empress: “Of the entire imperial family, without a doubt, the most sympathetic was Empress Maria Alexandrovna. She was distinguished by sincerity, and when she said something pleasant to someone, she felt that way. Maria Alexandrovna marked the beginning of a new period of women's education in Russia. At the initiative of Maria Alexandrovna, all-class women's gymnasiums and diocesan schools were opened, which were maintained almost exclusively at public and private funds.
The Empress also founded the largest theater in St. Petersburg and all of Russia and a ballet school - the famous school, which was headed by Agrippina Vaganova. The theater and the school were entirely financed by the imperial family, personally by the empress, and, at the insistence of Alexander II, bore her name.
Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy - Portrait of Alexander III
Alexander III(Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov; 1845—1894 ) - the penultimate sovereign emperor and autocrat of all Russia from the Romanov dynasty, who reigned in 1881-1894, the son and successor of Alexander II. Honored with a special epithet in historiography - Alexander the Peacemaker.
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich was the second son in the imperial family. His older brother Nikolai was preparing to inherit the throne, and he received the appropriate upbringing. He died on the night of April 13, 1864 from tuberculous inflammation of the spinal cord. Soon Alexander was proclaimed Tsarevich and heir to the throne.
Emperor Alexander II Nikolaevich tried to urgently eliminate the gaps in Alexander's education, but it was too late to retrain him. Alexander was 20 years old, and he was much inferior in ability and diligence to his older brother. In appearance, character, habits, and the very mindset, Alexander III bore little resemblance to his father. The Emperor was of enormous stature. In his youth, he possessed exceptional strength - he bent coins with his fingers and broke horseshoes, over the years he became obese and bulky, but even then, according to contemporaries, there was something graceful in his figure. He was completely devoid of the aristocracy inherent in his grandfather and partly his father. Even in the manner of dressing there was something deliberately unassuming. He, for example, could often be seen in soldier's boots with trousers tucked into them in a simple way. At home, he wore a Russian shirt with a colored pattern embroidered on the sleeves. Distinguished by frugality, he often appeared in worn trousers, a jacket, a coat or short fur coat, and boots. Gatchina became the main residence of the emperor. For a long time he lived in Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo, and when he came to St. Petersburg, he stayed at the Anichkov Palace. He did not like winter.
Court etiquette and ceremonial became much simpler under Alexander. He greatly reduced the staff of the Ministry of the Court, reduced the number of servants and introduced strict control over the spending of money. Expensive foreign wines were replaced by Crimean and Caucasian ones, and the number of balls was limited to four per year. At the same time, huge amounts of money were spent on the purchase of art objects. The emperor was a passionate collector, second only to Catherine II in this respect. Gatchina Castle literally turned into a storehouse of priceless treasures.
Unlike all his predecessors on the Russian throne, Alexander adhered to strict family morality. He was an exemplary family man - a loving husband and good father, never had mistresses or connections on the side. At the same time, he was one of the most pious Russian sovereigns, thus resembling even his distant ancestor Alexei Mikhailovich. The simple and direct soul of Alexander knew neither religious doubts, nor religious pretense, nor the temptations of mysticism. He firmly adhered to the Orthodox canons, always stood up to the end of the service, prayed earnestly and enjoyed church singing. The sovereign willingly donated to monasteries, to the construction of new churches and the restoration of ancient ones. Under him, church life noticeably revived.
He was a very hardworking sovereign. Every morning I got up at 7 o'clock, washed my face with cold water, made myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the desk. Often the working day ended late at night. And yet, despite a relatively healthy lifestyle, Alexander died quite young, before he reached 50 years old, completely unexpected for both relatives and subjects ....
Portrait of Empress Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III. (mother of Nicholas II)
Maria Fedorovna (1847-1928), Empress, wife of Emperor Alexander III, before marriage Princess Maria Sophia Friederike Dagmar, daughter of the Danish King Christian IX and Louise of Hesse.
She was almost from infancy betrothed to Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, the eldest son of Alexander II, but on April 12, 1865, the Tsarevich died in Nice. On his deathbed, he asked his brother Grand Duke Alexander and his bride to marry after his death. After his death, affection arose between Dagmara and Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich, who together looked after the dying crown prince.
On October 13, 1866, the betrothal, chrismation and naming with a new name took place - Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, and half a month later, on October 28, 1866, a manifesto was issued on the marriage of the heir to the Russian throne, Alexander Alexandrovich and Maria Feodorovna. Her almost 30-year marriage to Alexander III was quite happy, despite the dissimilarity of the spouses' characters. Born into the imperial family six children: Nicholas (Emperor Nicholas II) (1868), Alexander (1869) (died in infancy) George (1871), Xenia (1875), Mikhail (1878), Olga (1882).
The Danish origin of Maria Feodorovna is attributed to her dislike for Germany, which allegedly influenced foreign policy Alexander III.
Empress Maria Feodorovna spent more than 50 years in Russia, survived the revolution that cost the lives of her two sons and five grandchildren.
Ernest Lipgart. Nicholas II 1896
Serov Valentin. Portrait of Nicholas II. 1900.
Emperor Alexander III died in the Livadia Palace in Crimea on October 20, 1894. Nicholas II ascended the Russian throne. With him, Russia opened a new century. Premonitions of impending changes, vague expectations and anxieties agitated Russian society. But few people could then assume that Russia sees its last tsar on the Russian throne.
In January-February 1905, the first Russian revolution (1905-1907) began in Russia. She demonstrated that the autocratic period in the history of the Russian state is ending and the period of practical constitutionalization and parliamentarization of the country begins. The first, initially moderate steps towards parliamentarization were associated with the adoption by Nicholas II of the documents of August 6, 1905: "The Supreme Manifesto on the establishment of the State Duma", "The Law on the establishment of the State Duma" and "Regulations on elections to the State Duma". However, these acts established the status of the State Duma as a legislative body under the monarch.
The starting point for the formation of parliamentarism in Russia was Supreme Manifesto, signed by Tsar Nicholas II on October 17, 1905 "On the improvement of the state order" and a number of acts developing the provisions of the Manifesto. Signing the Manifesto on October 17 was not easy for the emperor. He worried for a long time, hesitated, but in the end he made a decision that did not correspond to his own ideas, but, as he was convinced from all sides, was necessary for the country, for the good of Russia. The last king was always very sensitive to this and could step over personal views in the name of the well-being of the empire. When Nicholas II signed the manifesto, he had no doubt that the authorities had enough strength to suppress the "sedition". No matter what politically biased contemporaries and ideologically biased researchers said and wrote, the possibility of a forceful solution in the autumn of 1905 existed.
Speaking of the March events of 1917, it should be said that they became final stage conspiracy that has matured against Emperor Nicholas II in the bowels of the "Progressive Bloc" of the State Duma, certain circles of the highest generals and representatives of the ruling circles of the Entente countries. This conspiracy was the result of many years of confrontation between Russian social, liberal and revolutionary forces with the Tsarist government.
Emperor Nicholas II did not know that the top of the army had also betrayed him. The chief of staff, Adjutant General M. V. Alekseev, from the end of 1916 was in close contact with Guchkov and agreed to assist the coup. Adjutant General N. V. Ruzsky - has long been fulfilling the tasks of Guchkov. General Krymov is an active supporter of the conspiracy. Adjutant General A. A. Brusilov, hero of the 1916 offensive, on the side of the conspirators. Rear Admiral A.V. Kolchak, the same Kolchak who became the youngest admiral of the Russian fleet thanks to the will of the Emperor, whom Nicholas II entrusted with planning the most important Bosphorus operation, knew about the conspiracy and sympathized with him. By February 1917, the top of the army was already against the Tsar. The orders of the Emperor were silently sabotaged by the highest generals. The Emperor firmly led the people and the army to victory, he was filled with faith in victory and was convinced that his generals were filled with the same faith. But in fact, the top generals were full of political ambitions. This completely suited the conspirators, who were striving for a completely different victory than Nicholas II. At the same time, they well understood that the victory of the Tsar at the front would lead to the defeat of their conspiracy. The first thing the conspirators had to do was to lure the Tsar out of the capital, because otherwise no revolution would have succeeded.
On February 22, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II said goodbye to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and went to Headquarters. In essence, he was going into a trap set for him by his adjutant generals. It is under these conditions that the events of the night from March 1 to 2 take place, as a result of which the so-called "Repudiation Manifesto".
The most interesting study of the so-called "abdication manifesto" of Nicholas II was the study of A. B. Razumov. This study convincingly and reliably proved that the so-called "abdication manifesto" of Emperor Nicholas II was nothing more than a clever fake. Razumov writes: “Let's look carefully at this paper. Its unhurried analysis will tell an inquisitive person a lot. For example, all researchers are struck by the fact that the Sovereign's signature was made in pencil. Surprised historians write that during the 23 years of his reign, it was the only time when the Sovereign put a pencil signature on an official document.
In addition, there is no personal seal of Nicholas II on the paper, and the paper itself was not endorsed by the Governing Senate, without which no tsar's manifesto had legal force.
A lot of confusion arises when clarifying the question of how the very paper that the Sovereign signed looked like. Thus, it is quite clear that neither from a legal, nor from a moral, nor from a religious point of view, there was any abdication of the throne by the Tsar. The events in February-March 1917 were nothing but the overthrow of Emperor Nicholas II from his ancestral throne; illegal, committed by criminal means, against the will and desire of the Autocrat, deprivation of his power. On March 2 (15), 1917, a monstrous and numbing example in history took place in Pskov, a betrayal of the top of Russian society and the generals to their Tsar, the Supreme Commander in a terrible war, on the eve of the fateful offensive of the Russian army.
On the morning of March 9, 1917, the tsarist train delivered the Sovereign to Tsarskoe Selo for the last time. The sentries opened the gates, the car drove in and the gates slammed shut. The reign of Emperor Nicholas II ended - the Way of the Cross of the Tsar-Martyr began.
Ilya Galkin. Portrait of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna
Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna. 1905.
His Imperial Highness Heir Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich