The Stroganov Palace (Stroganov Palace) was built by architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in 1753-1754. Now - a branch of the Russian Museum, which owns the building since 1988.

The houses that existed on this site, owned by the Stroganovs, were united by the architect into a single whole with a common facade in the Russian Baroque style. The main interiors of the palace and the Main Staircase, richly decorated with artificial marble (stucco) and gilded railings skillfully made of iron, were made in the same style.
The palace was built with a "verb" (in plan, the palace building has the shape of the letter "G"). The entrance was carried out from the courtyard to the building, standing on the Moika embankment. IN late XVIII - early XIX century Andrey Voronikhin rebuilt the entire north-western corner of the building, arranging an entrance from Nevsky Prospekt. He also reconstructed and recreated a number of interiors in the classic style, including those in the newly added buildings - east and south.

In 1842, Pyotr Sadovnikov completed the formation of the southern building of the palace and stylistically united all the courtyard facades in the "Rastrelli spirit", giving the main courtyard a general stylistic sound.

Throughout the almost two-century history of the Stroganov Palace, its interiors have been repeatedly redesigned in accordance with changing fashion and the needs of the owners. More than a dozen architects took part in their creation, including Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Andrey Voronikhin, Fedor Demertsov, Ivan Kolodin, Carl Rossi, Pyotr Sadovnikov and others. By the beginning of the twentieth century, many of the premises of the palace had irretrievably lost their original appearance, and some of them had just some of its elements.

In 1918, the Stroganov Palace was nationalized and turned into the "People's House-Museum (former Stroganov)", the formation of the expositions of which was entrusted to the State Hermitage. In 1929, the premises of the palace were transferred to VASKhNIL (All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences named after Lenin) to house the Institute of Applied Botany here, and the museum life of the palace ended. The art collections of the Stroganovs were distributed to various museums in the country, and some of them were sold abroad.

By the end of the 1930s, the Stroganov Palace was already occupied by several tenants, the main one among which was the Electromortrest of the People's Commissariat of the Shipbuilding Industry. Since 1970, the Leningrad enterprise "Era" of the SME of the USSR has become the general tenant.

On April 4, 1988, the Leningrad City Executive Committee adopted decision No. 248 "On the release and transfer of the premises of the former Stroganov Palace to the Russian Museum."

Conducted in the period 1989-2003. Restoration work by the State Russian Museum made it possible to return the Stroganov Palace, one of the few private residential buildings that have survived in the historical center of the city, to its original appearance in accordance with the plan of F. B. Rastrelli.

Now the Great Hall is open to visitors here - the only interior in St. Petersburg that has preserved the original decorations of Rastrelli and the unique plafond by G. Valeriani "The Hero's Triumph".

Two suites of ceremonial halls on the second floor, designed by the most famous Russian architects of the 18th-19th centuries - F. Demertsov, A. Voronikhin, P. Sadovnikov, I. Kolodin, have been restored.

In 1992, at the initiative of Baroness Helene de Ludinghausen, great-niece of Count Sergei Alexandrovich Stroganov (1852-1923), the Stroganov Charitable Foundation was established in New York. The task of the Stroganov Fund is to financially support the restoration projects of the Stroganov Palace, the palace-museums of St. Petersburg and its suburbs, and the reconstruction of churches in Russia.

ARCHITECTURAL LOOK AND INTERIORS.

F.B. Rastrelli designed the palace in such a way that both facades (both facing Nevsky Prospekt and facing the Moika Embankment) have a similar composition. In the center of each of the facades is a portico, on the pediment of which is placed the coat of arms of the Stroganovs. The Rastrelli Gallery, decorated with mirrors and gilded sculpture, as well as the Main Staircase, has not been preserved. But the Great or Dance Hall, with an area of ​​128 square meters, intended for balls and concerts, still impresses with its magnificence.

The main attraction of the hall is a huge picturesque ceiling "Hero's Triumph", which occupies the entire surface of the ceiling. It was made in the 1750s by the famous Italian artist Giuseppe Valeriani on thirteen separate canvases mounted on stretchers. The composition of the plafond is a multi-figured central part, framed by a luxurious architectural frame of colonnades with niches, a balustrade, and sculptures. The plot is the triumph of the mythological hero ascending Olympus. In the center of the composition is the goddess of wisdom, Minerva, who strikes vices, to the right of her are allegories of the arts patronized by the Stroganovs, to the left are virtues.

Since the beginning of the 1790s, the Stroganovs' "home" architect, former serf Andrey Voronikhin, has been rebuilding the palace. He enters into a kind of dialogue with his brilliant predecessor, like him, perceiving the palace as an integral ensemble. Voronikhin introduces classical elements into the decor of the Great Hall, slightly moderating the baroque splendor, which went out of fashion by the end of the century. At the same time, imbued with the baroque ideas of F.-B. Rastrelli, he created the Main Dining Room, or Corner Hall, on the site of the Mirror Gallery of the 1750s. The interior, which is small in size, looks much more spacious thanks to the use of reflection in the mirrors that decorate the entire southern wall, including the walls between the half-columns of the Ionic order. The surviving original watercolor of this interior allowed the restorers in the 1990s to recreate the original idea of ​​A. Voronikhin.

The Neva enfilade of the Stroganov Palace is completed by a two-tier Mineralogical Cabinet - another wonderful interior of this famous Russian architect, rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Russian 18th architecture century. The cabinet was made by A. Voronikhin in 1791-1792. It was intended to accommodate the richest book collection of Count A. S. Stroganov - on the lower tier and to display a collection of minerals - on the upper one.

The fluted columns of the composite order, made of artificial marble, support the sails of the vaults, on which the choirs of the second tier rest. The first tier is decorated with four allegorical bas-reliefs depicting the four elements: "Fire", "Water", "Earth" and "Air". The perspective painting of the dome was made at the beginning of the 19th century, presumably by P. Gonzago. IN mid-nineteenth century, the hall was turned into a billiard room, and the tiers were separated from each other, and instead of one of the bookcases, a tiled stove was installed. Subsequently, in the 1950s and 1980s, due to a malfunction of the roof, numerous leaks severely damaged the painting of the dome and made the cabinets of the upper tier unusable.

At present, the appearance, conceived by A. Voronikhin, has been completely returned to the hall. Mineralogical Museum. A.E. Fersman (Moscow), to which the collection of minerals from the Stroganov Palace was transferred in 1919, took part in the reconstruction of the mineral exposition. In addition, the Russian Museum was returned a chest with polished tiles made of marble and other rocks owned by the Stroganovs.

In the eastern building of the palace was the famous Art Gallery- one of the best creations of Andrei Voronikhin, a unique Russian interior at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries. The art gallery occupies most of the second floor of the east wing. The room, 28 m long, is divided into three parts - the central part and two balconies at the beginning and at the end of the gallery, which are on the same axis. The middle part is covered with a flat box vault, and the loggias are covered with small domes. The central part of the gallery is separated from the end loggias by Ionic columns, two at each loggia. The ends of the main vault (tympanum above the entablature) are decorated with bas-reliefs, which represent the allegories of Painting and Sculpture. The vault of the gallery and the domes of the loggias are painted with caissons.

The decoration of the Art Gallery was notable for its special elegance and sophistication, characteristic of the style of A. Voronikhin. Sophistication and delicacy in proportions and plastic processing are manifested in all elements of the interior decoration. The walls of the gallery were covered with green silk framed with gilded baguette. (IN Soviet time decorative trim the hall was partially lost - the surface of the walls was plastered and painted with green paint. The lining of the columns with artificial marble, imitating Sienese, has been repeatedly restored and has survived to this day.)

Along the walls were several sofas and armchairs with green upholstery. This furniture set is now in the funds of the Russian Museum. There was also a magnificent malachite vase 134 cm high and 107 cm in diameter, made at the Yekaterinburg Lapidary Factory. Now it is in the State Hermitage, as well as three-meter bronze floor lamps made in the 1790s. after the model of the sculptor J.-J. Fuku by the famous French master F. Tomir.

When the Stroganov Palace was transferred to the Institute of Applied Botany in 1929, all decorative items were removed from the Art Gallery, mostly to the Hermitage, and reading room institute. The last restoration of the gallery was carried out in 1964-1966. In the 1950s and 1960s, the assembly hall of the Era enterprise was located here. Currently, this most valuable interior is in dire need of another restoration.

Alexander Benois called the Art Gallery the "soul" of the Stroganov Palace. It was here that the famous collection of paintings was located, which Alexander Sergeevich Stroganov (1737-1811) collected for about forty years. As president of the Academy of Arts, A. S. Stroganov also used his gallery as a classroom, where students of the Academy studied the history and theory of painting and copied works of Western European art. This kind of museum of Western European painting of the 16th-17th centuries, created by a remarkable Russian philanthropist, was open to all art lovers.

Used materials from the site http://rusmuseum.ru/

Stroganov Palace

Palace and its architects

The beginning of the Stroganov architectural era falls on one of the most interesting periods history of Russian architecture of the XVIII century - 1750s. The list of architects of the Stroganovs is long and magnificent. Then the architects challenged the championship different nationalities and directions - Italians Francesco Rastrelli, Antonio Rinaldi, Frenchman Jean Baptiste Vallin-Delamot.

Already from the middleXVIIIFor centuries, the houses of the Stroganovs stood both on Nevsky Prospekt and on the northern outskirts of the capital (in the 1790s a huge Stroganov garden was formed here, in which as many as ten summer cottages were built over time), and on the south. By the endXIXcentury Stroganov Petersburg reached an impressive scale. In the city, the Stroganovs owned 60 houses. Not all of them were luxurious palaces, but they were all differentarchitectural merit and were built by the most prestigious architects of their time.

Stoganovsky Palace. Western facade along the Moika embankment

But, of course, the Stroganov Palace was the vital and spiritual center of activity of a noble family for two centuries. It was from here that the whole economic life was directed in their vast possessions on Kama, trade deals were concluded here, the main collections, family icons and an archive were located. The palace remained a family nest until 1918, and all this time the most important events that took place in the family directly or indirectly affected the palace, which itself became an extraordinary architectural chronicle.

Today, the Stroganov Palace on Nevsky no longer impresses with its scope and grandeur. And in order to present all the prestige and exclusivity of this building for St. Petersburgin the eyes of contemporaries, one should turn to the first St. Petersburg house of the Stroganovs.

Southwest corner of the courtyard of the Stroganov Palace

The project of the first house of the Stroganovs was approved by a special decree in 1716 by Peter himself.I. The house was supposed to stand on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island - the best place in the city, where Peter planned to create the main city square. In front of the building of the Twelve Collegia, which was already nearby, it was planned to erect a monument to the very founder of the empire. Among the houses of noble and wealthy citizens located along the nearby embankments, the largest should have been the house of the Stroganovs.

The house was built, but for a long time it stood unfinished. Three brothers were considered to be its owners: Alexander (1698-1751), Nikolai (1700-1758) and the already mentioned Sergey - the sons of the "eminent man" Grigory Dmitrievich (1656-1716). However, none of them moved to a new place, primarily due to the inaccessibility of the island - the first permanent bridge across the Neva appeared only a century and a half later.

Sculpture of Neptune in the courtyard of the Stroganov Palace. Marble. 1790s

The exclusivity of the Stroganov Palace on Nevsky Prospekt in the eyes of contemporaries was expressed not so much in the absolute size and prestige of the place, but primarily in the fact that it was designed - in his signature imperial style - by F. Rasstreli - court architect, author of the main imperial residences. Only the Stroganovs could afford that. Rastrelli was an extremely busy craftsman who almost did not build for private individuals, and the fact that he not only designed the Stroganov house himself, but also found an opportunity to do it during one building season, speaks of the influence of the Stroganovs. This meant that the Stroganov Palace occupied a place in the hierarchy of the palace architecture of the capital, a place immediately after the imperial (Winter) and chancellor (Vorontsov) palaces. This corresponded to the rank of chamberlain, which was Sergei Grigoryevich Stroganov.

The capstone, moved from the site of the Stroganov dacha on the Black River. Limestone. 1790s

Everyone who tries to investigate the Stroganov heritage inevitably experiences a feeling of despair - too little information has been preserved -the count's archive mysteriously disappeared back in the 19th century. This fully applies to the Stroganov Palace. There is practically no archival information about construction work, and now we can judge the intentions of several generations of owners only by architectural fragments or surviving interior details. They closely intertwined different artistic ideas, through which at the same time the main one, the author of which was F. Rastrelli, is clearly visible.

Sculpture of Flora in the courtyard of the Stroganov Palace. Marble. 1790s

In 1742, Sergei Grigoryevich Stroganov bought the house of the court tailor Johann Neumann, who occupied two neighboring plots on Nevsky Prospekt, at the intersection with the Moika, and thus he, along with his own house located next to it, built according to a typical Trezzini project, turned out to be the owner of a vast plot , which had the shape of an irregular rectangle, on which the Stroganov Palace was erected.

The main staircase in the Stroganov Palace. Architect A. Voronikhin. 1790s

It was traditionally believed that after a devastating fire that occurred on this site either in 1752 or in 1753, in 1755-1756, the Shootings built a completely new building on the site of the burnt houses. However, as it turned out, the walls of three houses were hidden behind the facades of the palace, which were not affected by the destructive elements. Therefore, there is no reason to associate the construction of the palace with a fire. By the Execution project, these buildings were only united by a common facade into a single whole and are hidden inside the existing building. (In particular, two unique wall paintings from the turn of the 1730s-1740s were discovered on the second floor of the northern building.)

A fragment of the decoration of the Main Dining Room in the Stroganov Palace. Architect A. Voronikhin. 1793.

Rastrelli designed the facade of the palace in such a way that both its sides - both along the Nevsky and on the Moika River - are equal. In the center of each of the facades is a portico, above which is a pediment with a coat of arms. In addition to the facades, Rastrelli completed the main interiors in the Baroque style - “a large main staircase, richly decorated with stucco, gilded iron railings, made very skillfully” and “a gallery decorated with mirrors and gilded sculpture”.Both interiors have not been preserved. But a huge for this building - 128 square meters - the Great Hall has been preserved. It is located in the western building and an extremely important for the palace passed through it. XVIII century central axis. The hall is decorated with a huge and complex multi-figured pictorial ceiling, made in the 1750s by a famous decorator Giuseppe Valeriani (1708-1762). Its plot - "The Triumph of Aeneas" - represents the apotheosis of the mythological hero known from Virgil's poem. In the center of the composition, Valeriani was instructed to portray Minerva, striking the love of power, Envy, Anger and Flattery. Thus, the program of life compiled by Stroganov abroad was expressed allegorically.

(Many important events took place in this hall. It was here, in the Great Hall, under the auspices of the goddess of Reason on the ceiling, in the 1760s that the initiators of the creation in the Russian capital met public library. It is known that it appeared only at the beginning of the 19th century. And as its prototype in the Stroganov Palace, fifty years earlier, there was a certain public library, which, as evidenced by a unique visitor's log, was used by the Empress, the Vorontsovs, Sumarokov and many others. famous people. Finally, in the Great Hall in December 1766, in the presence of Empress Catherine II, the elections of deputies of the Commission for the drafting of the New Code were held. This indicates that already at that time Alexander Sergeevich actively participated in the transformational activities of Northern Minerva.)

A fragment of the decor of the Small Living Room in the Stroganov Palace. Architect A. Voronikhin. Around 1803

Rastrelli's project, and even then partially, was implemented only by 1761.Since 1764, and perhaps even earlier, Wallen-Delamot worked for the Stroganovs, whose name is associated with the birth of classicism in Russia. In 1765 he built country house Stroganov, on the Peterhof road, which is interesting as a rare example early classicism In Petersburg. Wallin-Delamote completed the facade of the palace, in which he included a medallion with a mysterious profile 1 , and also tried to continue the implementation of the Rastrelli project. He made two projects of the eastern building of the palace. According to the first option, which was cheaper, it was planned to build the building along the line of the decorative wall that separated the front yard from the outbuildings. According to another, more ambitious project, the architect proposed to dismantle the wall and put up a larger building, larger in area than the opposite western building.

None of the projects came in handy due to the fact that in November of the same year the owner of the house parted ways with his first wife, Countess A. M. Vorontsova.

In the 1790s, the Stroganovs were served by their "home" architect, a former serf, the brilliant Andrey Voronikhin (1759-1814). This was a fairly common occurrence in very wealthy families. One can recall, for example, the Argunov dynasty, who served as Sheremetev, Evgraf Tyurin, the serf architect of the Yusupovs. Of course, Voronikhin is among the mentioned home architects at an unattainable height.

A fragment of the decoration of the Small Study of Count S.V. Stroganova in the Stroganov Palace. Architect A. Voronikhin (1800) and I. Kolodin (1818).

The main "architectural intrigue" of the Stroganov Palace lies in the dialogue between Rastrelli and Voronikhin, the architect who worked on the palace half a century later. Voronikhin, like Rastrelli, considered the palace as an integral ensemble. Unfortunately, all the details of its reconstruction are unknown, which made it possible for architectural historians even to question the authorship of the architect in relation to the textbook interiors of the palace 2 . Apparently, until 1790, when Voronikhin returned from abroad, Alexander Sergeevich did not undertake any major reconstructions in the palace. Voronikhin began with the restoration of the Great Hall, where chandeliers and a furniture set appeared. Inspired by the baroque ideas of Rastrelli, Voronikhin created in 1792 the Main Dining Room or Corner Hall instead of the Mirror Gallery of the 1750s.

M.-F. Daman-Demartre. View of Nevsky Prospekt. Colored aquatint. Until the nineteenth century

HThe very large interior, whose windows face both Nevsky Prospekt and the Moika, seems much larger thanks to huge mirrors. They are located not only around the doors, but also between the semi-columns of the Ionic order, which shows the extraordinary ingenuity of the master. The surviving original watercolor of this interior made it possible to recreate Voronikhin's original plan during the restoration of the palace two hundred years later, already in the 90s of the 20th century.

In the Neva enfilade of the palace, which was a space dissected by six arches, Alexander Sergeevich's Study was located. In its central part was the salon of Hubert Robert. Voronikhin took up updating the Cabinet after the restoration of the Great Hall. And at the junction of the northern building and the eastern one, he designs a two-story Mineral Cabinet. Upstairs was a collection of minerals (hence the name), downstairs was a library. The cabinet was conceived as a sanctuary. It clearly, and not by chance, shows the image of the Roman Pantheon. (The idea of ​​using the principles of Pantheon architecture for museum purposes goes back to the architecture of the Vatican Museum)

A fragment of the decoration of the Mineral Cabinet in the Stroganov Palace. Architect A. Voronikhin. 1791

The famous Art Gallery was located in the eastern building.This fairly extended interior (its length is about 28 meters, its width is about seven meters) was called the “gallery” precisely because of its length. In order to avoid monotony, the architect decided to divide this space into relatively independent parts. In the end, there were three of them, and exactly half (14 meters) was allotted to the central one, and it was a hall with a sloping coffered vault. Bas-relief allegories of Painting and Sculpture were placed in the tympanums. This was the most representative part of the hall, where the main paintings of the Strogonov collection were located.

G.Valeriani. Triumph of Aeneas. Plafond in the Great Hall of the Stroganov Palace. Canvas, oil. 1750s

Symmetrically to the left and to the right, behind the plaster columns, skillfully imitating Sienese marble, there were two small loggias, each of which was almost square in plan and had a coffered dome. In one of the loggias, as can be seen in Voronikhin's watercolor depicting the Art Gallery of the palace, Alexander Sergeevich received visitors. Another, with a fireplace, may have been an impromptu "count's bedroom" - it is known that the owner did not have a special room for sleeping in his vast palace and most often ordered his camp bed to be placed in the Picture Gallery.

The hanging of paintings in the gallery was not accidental. Initially, in the center of the main wall, located against the windows, Voronikhin proposed to make a large window and place next to it copies of the Hercules and Flora Farnese sculptures that were popular at that time. But then, after the paintings had taken their places, both the window and the sculptures had to be abandoned. There were too many paintings even for such a vast, by the standards of the 18th century, space. In the central part there are only thirty-eight canvases out of eighty-seven mentioned by Stroganov in the Catalog of his collection compiled and published twice 3 .

Stroganov Palace. Big hall. Architect F. B. Rastrelli. 1750s.

From the Catalog we learn that the most honorable place in the Art Gallery was to be occupied by Raphael, whose work was then considered the pinnacle of painting. But there were no works by Raphael in the Stroganov collection. main picture became the canvas "The Adoration of the Magi" by the Flemish painter Leress - the most expensive work of the collection. On the sides of the "Flemish Poussin", as Leress was called, there were paintings of "Raphael of Flanders" by Rubens, as well as Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Reni and other no less famous masters of European painting.

E. Esakov. Small study of Count S.V. Stroganova in the Stroganov Palace. Watercolor from the album of the Stroganov family. 1820

Moreover, Alexander Sergeevich selected their creations in pairs, so that the works of the same master of the same size were presented on both sides of the axis of the gallery. Its existence is clearly indicated by consoles with snow-white marble countertops, which stood opposite the stoves. These outstanding works of furniture art were made by the Parisian workshop of René Dubois in 1775 and apparently entered the palace along with the paintings. Thus, while still in Paris, Stroganov already imagined the plan of the Art Gallery and bought works in accordance with it.

At first XIX century Voronikhin built the southern building of the palace. As a consequence, in It became possible to get to the art gallery by passing through both the northern and southern enfilades. Thus, the interiors of the palace acquired the character of a single ensemble. The visual culmination in this spatial unity was the statue “Minerva Restoring the Arts on the Ruins of Antiquity”, which, at the request of A.G. Stroganov, the sculptor gave a portrait resemblance to Catherine II.

The interior of the Grand Office of Prince A.P. Golitsyna

Initially, the statue was in a different interior, and then was transferred to the Art Gallery and was installed against the place previously occupied by Leress, which, as can be seen in N. Nikitin's watercolor of 1832, already had works by Raphael's closest contemporaries Andrea del Sarto and Angelo Bronzino. (It is typical that in your catalog wrote Stroganov about the first of them: “Sarto was such a fine imitator of this fine master [that is, Raphael. — S.K.] that when I wanted to copy his paintings, I misled the greatest connoisseurs.") Under the mentioned paintings was an unusual table with Japanese varnishes. On it stood a round temple made of precious stones, inside which an eagle held a miniature portrait of Alexander Sergeevich.

The interior of the living room of Prince V.S. Golitsyn

With the construction of the Kazan Cathedral in the Physics Cabinet, where the ideological and cult center of the palace had moved by that time, a large Venetian window was created - with a view of the cathedral.The interior of the Physical Cabinet was designed in the spirit of an Egyptian temple and was nominally intended for the Egyptian collection. However, much more important role he played in the cult scenario of the interiors of the palace: completing the eastern enfilade, which included the Mineral Cabinet and the Picture Gallery already familiar to us - the Roman and Greek "temples", respectively - the "Egyptian temple" gave the entire suite a symbolic meaning of the stages on the Masonic road of initiation.

Interior of the Cabinet of Prince V.S. Golitsyn.

From the decoration of the Physical Cabinet, only the portal and the granite title of the deity Ammon-Jupiter (according to another version of Zeus Otrykoliysky) have been preserved at the present time. Its granite pedestal, apparently, had an important sacred meaning: its volume contains the proportions of the interior of the Physics Cabinet (1:10) and the Kazan Cathedral (1:50), which can serve as an additional argument for the assumption that the hall was not so much a venue scientific experiments, how many freemasons sanctuary. (Inscription on the pedestal: " Ars egiptiaca Petropoli renata. MDCCCX.” can be translated not only literally (The Art of Egypt was revived in St. Petersburg. 1810), but also in a Masonic-mystical context, something like “The priestly spirit of Egypt was revived in Petropolis by the time the temple was completed, which can be compared with the Pyramids”.) There is reason to believe that two columns with capitals in the form of lotus leaves at the same time symbolized Yachin and Boaz, the legendary builders of Solomon's temple. Impossible due to the existing structure of the palace, the exact orientation “east-west”, necessary for the Masonic sanctuary, was compensated by a window overlooking the construction site of the main brainchild of Stroganov, the “mason” - the Kazan Cathedral. (Here one more assumption can be made regarding the portrait of A.S. Stroganov by A. Varnek: Stroganov is possibly depicted in a schematically represented Physical Study - the most sacred place in the palace, from the window of which the Kazan Cathedral is visible.)

Interior of the Small Study of Prince A.P. Golitsyna

In this form, the interiors of the Stroganov Palace remained for about half a century, although there were changes in them. Only the Great Hall remained virtually unchanged. All other rooms have been remodeled several times. At first XIX century Voronikhin designed the apartments of the son of Alexander Sergeevich, Pavel Alexandrovich and his wife Sofya Vladimirovna in the style of the Directory. Only the Small Living Room has survived from them, the planes of the artificial marble walls of which are adjacent to the monumental doors of mahogany and ebony, decorated with applied bronze details. Their severity contrasts with the finest reliefs in the lunettes depicting scenes from Ovid's metamorphoses and stucco desuports.

Unknown artist. The large office of Count S.V. Stroganova in the Stroganov Palace. Watercolor from the album of the Stroganov family. 1830s

In the same years, Voronikhin rebuilt the entrance to the palace. He made it right from Nevsky Prospekt. He decorated the lobby with a staircase in the form of "the ruins of an ancient Greek temple" with four Doric columns of different heights. The main march rests on the so-called creeping, that is, based on supports of different heights, arch. This is one of vivid manifestations the ingenuity of the Voronikhin genius.The outstanding role of Voronikhin in Stroganov architecture is that he created his own architectural school. He taught Fyodor Demertsov (1762-1823), Christian Meyer (1789-1848), Ivan Kolodin (1789-after 1838), Pyotr Sadovnikov (1796-1877) and other lesser-known architects who played an important role in the creation of Stroganov's Petersburg and the formation of Stroganov's palace.

The interior of the dining room of Prince V.S. Golitsyn

After the death of Voronikhin, for thirty years, Pyotr Sadovnikov was the chief architect of the Stroganovs. His contribution to the Stroganov architecture is unusually great. He built about forty buildings for various purposes for his patrons: tenement houses, dachas, farms, greenhouses, etc. (The latter belonged to the School of Agriculture, Crafts and Mining Sciences opened by Countess Sophia Vladimirovna Stroganova; the theoretical department was located on the 15th line of Vasilyevsky Island, and the practical one was on the Maryino estate.) It was Sadovnikov who continued the formation of the Stroganov quarter on Nevsky, located between the Moika River and Kazansky cathedral. He built the so-called middle and small houses adjoining the Rastrelli Palace.

The interior of the reception room of Prince A.P. Golitsyna

Another famous Russian architect also worked with the interiors of the palace. Carl Rossi,an extremely busy architect, at the turn of the 1810s and 1820s he designed several magnificent interiors for the palace on Nevsky. Rossi was architect of the Empire- he built squares, avenues, theaters, ministries and others public buildings, and until recently it was believed that he never designed interiors for private individuals. However, it turned out that an exception was nevertheless made, and it was for the Stroganovs. Rossi designed apartments for one of the granddaughters of Alexander Sergeevich - Aglaida, for the palace on Nevsky, and her husband Vasily Sergeevich Golitsyn. Nothing remained of the interiors, and no one knew about this work until 18 miniature views of nine magnificent interiors were discovered in one of the Stroganov albums. This is a project that gives an exceptionally complete picture of the ideal Empire style interior. Among the magnificent draperies, fine paintings and bas-reliefs, Rossi elegantly arranged furniture, works of art, toilet articles and books 4 .

There is evidence that Rossi intended to completely remake the facades of the palace, giving them an empire-style look. However, this did not happen, and the facades retained their baroque appearance.

The interior of the dressing room of Prince A.P. Golitsyna

In the 1830s, during the period of fascination with Pompeii, an Arabesque drawing room appeared in the Stroganov Palace, where they were exhibited made much earlier for Emperor PaulI by Italian painters Antonio Scotti and Pietro Vigicopies of famous Vatican grotesques.

In 1842, P. Sadovnikov, having received an order from Elizaveta Pavlovna (daughter of Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov), made one of the last changes to the appearance of the palace. He straightened the facade of the southern building and extended his solution to the eastern building, which, the only one of all, remained two-story. In the center of the southern building, opposite the main entrance and the Hubert Robert Salon, the architect placed the Main Bedroom. Sadovnikov himself created only one Neo-Baroque interior - the upper vestibule.

The interior of the dressing room of Prince V.S. Golitsyn

One of the most outstanding masters Historicist architecture Harald Bosse, the author of numerous and exquisite houses of the capital's nobility, decorated in the Stroganov Palace in the 1840-1850s the apartments of the Most Serene Princess E. P. Saltykova, nee Countess Stroganova. The pearl in these wonderful interiors - a reminiscence of the Louis XVI style - was famous portrait Countess by Karl Bryullov in a magnificent Neo-Baroque frame.

1 All the details of the long construction of the Stroganov Palace, including information about the work for the Stroganovs Rinaldi and Delamotte, are discussed in my article “The History of a Facade Russian empire» // Art History. 2000. No. 1. pp.376-399.

2 I mean several publications by N.V. Murashova about the architect Fyodor Demertsov and his service for the Stroganovs. The latest published in the book: Architects of St. Petersburg. XVIII century. SPb., 1997. C.929-980.

3 Catalog raisonne des tableaux qui composent la collection du comte A. de Stroganoff. Saint Petersburg, 1793; St. Petersburg, 1800.

4 Karpova E.V., Kuznetsov S.O.. Disappeared interiors of the Stroganov Palace // Monuments of Culture. New discoveries. 1999. M., 2000. S. 480-492.

S. Kuznetsov "Our heritage"

Facade of the Stroganov Palace from Nevsky Prospekt.

The Stroganov Palace in St. Petersburg is a beautiful and only example of Russian baroque of the middle of the 18th century, preserved on. The architectural masterpiece, created by the great architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, occupies a worthy place in the palace construction of that time, along with such creations as the Imperial Winter and Chancellery.

Historical reference

F. B. Rastrelli, the court architect of Empress Elizabeth, did not take private orders, but an exception was made for Baron S. G. Stroganov, and with the consent of the empress. How did the Stroganovs deserve the favor of the monarchs?

The Stroganov family of merchants and industrialists was fabulously rich. Coming from peasants who from ancient times lived on the lands of Veliky Ustyug (north-east of the Vologda Oblast), they owned salt, fish and fur trades, huge land plots, mining and factories, including metallurgical ones, in the Urals.

The foundation of a million-strong fortune was laid in the 15th century, and in 1558 the first Russian tsar, Ivan the Terrible, awarded the family with a diploma for the development of the territories of the Cis-Urals. Entire cities were built on the banks of the Kama and Chusovaya rivers, and the Stroganovs sought further - beyond the Urals, deep into Siberia. Using their right to have an armed squad, they equipped the campaign of Yermak, who won new lands for Russia.

IN Time of Troubles The Stroganovs provided enormous material and military assistance to Tsar Vasily Shuisky. For this they received the title of "eminent people", which equated them with the nobility.

The last representative of the "eminent people" was a contemporary of Peter I Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov. The only heir of the family at that time, who united the entire family fortune in his hands, he helped to successfully end the war with the Swedes with generous donations.

Family lore has preserved a funny episode that supposedly happened at a dinner party. Treating Peter I, dessert was served to him on a barrel filled with gold coins, and he was asked to consider the barrel as part of the treat. Among the facts:

• two frigates built by G. D. Stroganov at the Voronezh shipyards during the Northern War were fully equipped and donated to the tsar;
• the genuine joy and gratitude of the sovereign were so great that Grigory Dmitrievich was building two more warships at the Arkhangelsk shipyard and arming with cannons.

The merits of the Stroganovs before the throne were noted in the decree of Peter I of 1722, which granted the sons of G. D. Stroganov the title of baron. So younger son An associate of the first Russian emperor, Baron Sergei Grigoryevich Stroganov, could well afford to build his own palace in the center of the capital and, being the chief chamberlain at the court of Empress Elizabeth, managed to obtain permission from the empress to entrust this construction to her favorite architect.

Rastrelli, pretty tired of the whims of Elizaveta Petrovna, who forced him to rebuild what he started many times, agreed to build a house for Stroganov, the rich man and favorite of the Empress, finally getting the opportunity to do everything to his liking, since the owner promised not to interfere in his work.

The result exceeded expectations: a light, elegant palace, built in as soon as possible(1753-1754) on the Moika embankment, delighted the customer. The palace was also liked by the Empress, who was present at the housewarming ball. Soon a masquerade ball was held here on the occasion of the birth of her son Pavel, and then the celebration of the birthday of Elizaveta Petrovna herself.

The final completion of construction dates back to 1756. Sergei Stroganov did not live to see this day, the palace passes to his son Alexander, who in 1798 receives the title of count and is rightfully one of the most famous owners of the house on Nevsky Prospekt.

Now, few people know the merit of Alexander Sergeevich Stroganov in the construction of the majestic on Nevsky Prospekt. It was at his suggestion that Emperor Pavel approved in 1800 the project of A. N. Voronikhin, a little-known young talented architect at that time, the former serf of the Stroganovs, who received from the owners not only a free, but also an excellent education, including in Europe. Continuing the tribal tradition of erecting temples, A. S. Stroganov devoted the last 10 years of his life to the construction of the cathedral, heading a special commission, which often met in the Stroganov Palace.

The Stroganovs went down in history not only thanks to their untold wealth and devotion to the Russian crown, which they proved more than once in the diplomatic, state and military fields. First of all, they are famous as patrons, collectors, patrons of art masters. The palace contained some of the best collections of paintings, numismatics, rare books and minerals in Russia.

A. S. Stroganov collected a collection of paintings and sculptures for about forty years. Rembrandt, van Dyck, Guido Reni and Hubert Robert were represented in the art gallery of the Stroganov Palace. When he was president of the Academy of Arts, he used it as a classroom where students got acquainted with the history of Western European art and could copy the works of great artists.

In subsequent generations of the Stroganov dynasty, the most prominent personality was statesman Sergei Grigorievich Stroganov (1794-1882), known as the founder of the drawing school in Moscow - the famous Stroganovka, which still exists today. A connoisseur of painting and a passionate collector S. G. Stroganov continued to replenish the art gallery of the Stroganov Palace.

The Stroganov Palace also became famous for its brilliant balls, theatrical and musical evenings, rich receptions, which were attended by G. R. Derzhavin, D. G. Levitsky, N. I. Gnedich, D. S. Bortnyansky. Here, for the first time, D. I. Fonvizin read excerpts from The Brigadier, and I. A. Krylov read his fables.

Among the sculptures and fountains of the inner courtyard, tables were set, and any decently dressed citizen could dine here without hindrance. According to the legend, it was for the “open dinners” that the Stroganov cook invented a delicious dish that was divided into any number of servings, because the number of guests was not known in advance, and sometimes more than a hundred people were recruited! This dish - Beef Stroganoff (beef Stroganoff) - is popular all over the world today.

The Stroganov dynasty owned the palace until 1918.

After October revolution The Stroganov Palace was nationalized and given to form the People's House-Museum in it, which lasted until 1929. Then the collections were disbanded, the exhibits were transferred to other museums or sold abroad, the library was received by Tomsk University, part of the art gallery moved to the Hermitage. At first, the building went to the Agricultural Academy, then other tenants appeared, led by Electromortrest.

Museum life revived in 1988 with the transfer of the palace. The ruined and dilapidated building required repair and restoration. Since 1992, the Stroganov Charitable Foundation, established on the initiative of Baroness Helen de Ludinghausen (Elena Stroganova, great-niece of the last Count S. A. Stroganov), has been helping to cope with these tasks since 1992.

Two suites of ceremonial halls were restored in the palace, the interiors of which were created by remarkable Russian architects of the past - A. N. Voronikhin, F. I. Demertsov, I. F. Kolodin, P. S. Sadovnikov.

Building architecture

The secret of the extraordinary speed of the construction of the palace is revealed simply: Rastrelli erected it on the foundations of former houses using the walls and vaults of the lower floors. During the construction of the L-shaped three-story building, the architect paid the main attention to the design of elegant facades overlooking Nevsky Prospekt and the Moika River embankment, and to the creation of the interior of the palace.

View of the Stroganov Palace from the Moika River.

The appearance of the palace has come down to us through the centuries without significant changes. An outstanding example of late baroque architecture is generously decorated with Italian-style decor elements: columns, sculpture, figured window frames, openwork forged gratings balconies. The longer "Nevsky Facade" looks elegant and solemn, the facade from the side of the Moika is more modest, lighter, and more elegant. Both facades have three risalits: an expressive central one and two subordinate side ones, Rastrelli's favorite composition. A pediment with the coat of arms of the Stroganovs rises above the middle part: two sables hold a shield with the image of a bear's head. These symbols of Siberia inform about the role of ancestors in the development of the region, remind of the conquest of Siberia by Yermak, because among the organizers of his campaign were the Stroganovs.

On the second and third floors there were front and residential apartments of the owners, and the servants used the lower floor. By the time of the housewarming celebration, a building overlooking the Moika was built, and only seven halls were decorated: they danced in the Great Hall, three halls were set aside for playing cards and refreshments, but by the end of construction, the number of front rooms reached fifty.

Wishing to pay tribute to the architect, S. G. Stroganov ordered a portrait of Rastrelli and placed it in the most elegant room of the palace - in the Grand Ballroom. The author of the portrait is a famous italian artist Pietro de Rotari, specially invited to St. Petersburg to create portraits of the Empress and members of the ruling family.

Thanks to Stroganov, who spent a lot of energy and money so that the painter, who briefly visited Russia, could paint a portrait of the architect, we now know what the brilliant Russian architect looked like in the heyday of his talent. But, perhaps, Rastrelli himself left his image on the walls of the palace for posterity. At a height of 4 meters from the base, the building is framed by a decorative belt, consisting of about fifty medallions with a noble male profile inside. A peculiar architectural decoration still causes controversy among historians: some believe that this is a bas-relief portrait of the owner of the house, while others are sure that this is the profile of Rastrelli himself ...

A great fire in 1790 destroyed almost all interior decoration palace, miraculously survived only one interior created by Rastrelli - the same dance hall, where there was a portrait of the architect by Rotary.

The interiors after the fire were rebuilt by A. N. Voronikhin, P. S. Sadovnikov and other architects in the style of classicism. Two outbuildings were also built, forming a square with the main building. At the beginning of the 19th century, the appearance of the front facades also underwent some changes. Large statues were removed - allegories of the four parts of the world (Europe, Asia, America, Africa) and figures of Atlanteans supporting balconies.

Exposition and attractions

The exposition of the museum allows you to take a fascinating journey through the architectural history of the Stroganov Palace: from the baroque ballroom of Rastrelli to the exquisite classicist interiors of Voronikhin. The sights that arouse the constant interest and admiration of visitors, of course, include:

• Large (128 sqm!) ballroom. This is the only authentic, and not recreated, interior of the main hall, made by Rastrelli in St. Petersburg. Tall beautifully decorated windows overlooking the Moika River are located in two tiers and occupy almost the entire wall, while narrow piers are filled with mirrors decorated with stucco floral ornaments. The western wall is literally permeated with light - this is a recognized find of the architect's design idea. From the stucco baroque pattern that adorns the other three walls, the figures of Atlanteans and caryatids seem to grow. They support the cornice encircling the perimeter of the hall, and the balconies, near which cupids lurk with garlands of white flowers. The decoration of the hall is complemented by parquet made of exotic wood species: sandalwood, boxwood, lemon and plane trees, as well as The picturesque ceiling "Triumph of the Hero". Canvas area 125 sq. meters - unique work Giuseppe Valeriani, an outstanding Italian decorator and founder of Russian theatrical painting, is the only surviving original work of his brush.
• Mineralogical cabinet - a masterpiece of Russian architecture of the 18th century - completes the Neva enfilade. A. N. Voronikhin made the room two-tiered: at the bottom he placed a library, and at the top a collection of minerals of Count A. S. Stroganov. The first tier is decorated with four bas-reliefs depicting the elements of fire, water, earth and air. The second tier is supported by columns lined with artificial marble. The spherical dome, unusual for a living space, and the painting of its vaults create the feeling of being in a temple of art and science.
• Permanent exhibition "Russian Empire". In the historical restored interiors of the palace, of which the Main Dining Room, the Arabesque Drawing Room, the room in the style of hunting cabinets of English castles are especially impressive, arts and crafts from the era of Alexander I (the first quarter of the 19th century) are presented. Products decorated with allegories, symbols and antique ornaments are products of the Imperial Porcelain Factory.

Today, the tradition of musical evenings has been revived in the palace. "Musical Thursdays" are held in the Grand Ballroom, the concerts are preceded by a small sightseeing tour on the interiors of the palace.

Temporary exhibitions from the funds of the Russian Museum are periodically held in the halls of the first floor, part of the premises below is reserved for the museum wax figures and the Chocolate Museum.

Where is it located and how to get there

The Stroganov Palace is located in the city center at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Moika River Embankment at the address:

St. Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt, 17 / Moika Embankment, 46.

The nearest metro stations are Nevsky Prospekt, Admiralteyskaya or Gostiny Dvor» within walking distance.

Buses No. 3, 22, 27, 49, K212 and trolleybuses No. 5, 22 also go here. Ground transport stops Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street or Nevsky Prospekt Metro Station.

When in the middle of the eighteenth century the fire that happened on Nevsky Prospekt almost completely destroyed a small mansion - the property of Count S. G. Stroganov, one of the most magnificent palaces of St. Petersburg was built on this site. Construction was carried out in 1753-1754 according to the project and under the guidance of the architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

The owner of the palace under construction completely relied on the taste and skill of the court architect. And Rastrelli did not disappoint him, having created a magnificent building in two years. Huge windows and stucco on the facade in best traditions Russian baroque. Fifty spacious rooms with high ceilings, a luxuriously decorated great hall and a gallery filled with artfully selected sculptures and visually enlarged by tall mirrors. The gallery housed one of the best private collections of paintings in Russia - works by Rembrandt, Botticelli, Grez, Poussin, Van Dyck and other famous painters. The Stroganovs were the richest family in Russia. Therefore, the architect designed the palace, taking into account this fact: the front entrance of the palace is decorated with the coats of arms of the Stroganovs - sables and spears - symbols of Siberia, the homeland of this family. Over time, under the influence of changing fashion, the interiors of the palace were redone many times. Participated in these works famous architects: Voronikhin, Bosse, Rossi, Sadovnikov and others. Of the interiors of Rastrelli, the Main Vestibule and the Great Hall with a unique ceiling “Triumph of the Hero” have been preserved here.

The Stroganov Palace was a meeting place for the cultural elite of the city: its frequent guests were writers G. R. Derzhavin, D. I. Fonvizin, I. L. Krylov, composer D. S. Bortnyansky and other famous personalities. After the revolution, the palace was nationalized. The People's House-Museum was opened here. The former collections of the palaces were partly sold out, partly transferred to the State Hermitage Museum.

Since 1925, various design and economic institutions have been located in Stroganov, and museum life has ceased. The exquisite interiors were badly damaged and by the time the building was handed over to the Russian Museum, their condition was deplorable. For 16 years, the Russian Museum has been restoring the Stroganov Palace, as a result of which the original appearance of this most beautiful creation of the eighteenth century was returned. In 2005, the Stroganov Palace was opened to visitors.

Few of the visitors will be uninterested in the Mineral Cabinet, created by the architect Voronikhin. It contains unique collection minerals collected throughout Russia and abroad. The Corner and Arabesque halls are remarkable. And the hall with an oak fireplace captivates with comfort and peace of the atmosphere.

An exhibition of wax figures has been organized in the building of the palace, in which you can see representatives of the imperial family, members of the Stroganov family, architects who took part in the construction of the palace and the design of its interiors.

Interesting temporary exhibitions are held here, and by 2012, the Art Gallery, the Library and the Physics Cabinet will probably be opened, in which restoration is still ongoing. The Russian Museum, whose branch is now the Stroganov Palace, plans to organize permanent exhibition dedicated to Russian patrons and collectors of the imperial era.

"City on the Neva"

is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia. The unique appearance of the city is given by its countless architectural and historical monuments harmoniously combined styles different eras. One of the majestic palaces of St. Petersburg, the Stroganov Palace, is located on the main street of the city (Nevsky Prospekt, 17).

It belonged to the famous Stroganov family and is one of the best examples of Russian baroque architecture.,

palace - a magnificent building erected by an architect
F. B. Rastrelli
in 1753-1754

The interior of the palace impresses with its luxury and variety of interiors. Copies of Raphael's frescoes from the loggias in the Vatican adorn the walls of the Arabesque Drawing Room, the Mineral Cabinet amazes with a complex two-height architectural space, and the dining room demonstrates how mirrors can be used to achieve, in the words of A. S. Stroganov, "crazy effect".

Today, the palace is a branch of the Russian Museum and anyone can visit it.

Main staircase

The most famous owner of the palace, Count Alexander Stroganov, had excellent taste, was educated and, most importantly, rich, like his ancestors. Therefore, he could afford eccentricities and whims. For example, Alexander Sergeevich was very fond of mirrors. And the architects Demertsov and Voronikhin created the interior of the main dining room (or Corner Hall) according to the count's preferences. The interior is truly extraordinary: it seems that the hall is huge, but in fact they are huge mirrors - on the wall opposite the windows, between the columns

Great Hall (Rastrelli Hall)

. It is they who create the illusion of a doubled space... But the Stroganov Palace was famous not only for its architecture and rich decoration. There were collections of rare samples of numismatics, paleontology, and mineralogy. There was a rich library containing the works of the ancients and contemporary authors history, art, archaeology.

But the "soul of the Stroganov's mansion" was the Art Gallery. With works by Italian, Flemish, Dutch and French schools. A gallery that struck both with its vastness, and with the names of the masters, and with the sophistication of the taste of its owner. And what is very important: accessible to everyone…

Plafond on the ceiling of the Great Hall

The house was open for diplomatic receptions, for artistic, literary and musical gatherings. Stroganov also had the most famous people of that time: writers, composers, artists. Gabriel Derzhavin and Dmitry Bortnyansky dedicated their works to the owner of the house. Here Ivan Andreevich Krylov read his fables and plays - Denis Fonvizin.

Small living room

The palace, which for almost two centuries belonged to the famous family of Russian merchants, salt producers, philanthropists and collectors of the Stroganovs, was just one of their many possessions, but, of course, the most significant. Here, in particular, the famous collection of Western European paintings, coins, minerals and works was located. ancient art, which was collected by Count Alexander Sergeevich Stroganov.

Architects such as Voronikhin, Kolodin, Rossi, Charlemagne and Sadovnikov took part in the construction

Large living room

Large study of Countess S.V. Stroganova

Small study of Countess S.V. Stroganova

front dining room

Arabesque living room

Mineralogical cabinet