Rare Photographs of the Paley Palace Interiors in Tsarskoe Selo c1913

Further to my previous post on the construction of the Paley palace in Tsarskoe Selo for Grand Duke Paul and Princess Olga, the architect was completing the interior decorations during 1913. Photographs below of the Concert Hall, Oak Drawing Room, Salon, 2nd floor Staircase and Halls, Princess Bedroom and Dressing Room and the Kitchen.

Nicholas II & Empress Alexandra’s Luggage from Tsarskoe Selo to Peterhof

At the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo on Monday May 19th 1908 Nicholas II noted in his diary that they ‘sent out luggage off today to Peterhof on the motor-train taken for a test which turned out to be successful. It went back and forth to Peterhof three times fully loaded.’ Photographs c1908 (below) of the motor-train arrival at their Lower Dacha in Peterhof and on the road

Rare Photographs of the Paley Palace in Tsarskoe Selo c1913

After the controversial marriage of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, the youngest son of Alexander II, and Olga Pistolkors the couple resided in Paris. Prior to their permanent return in 1914 to Russia where Olga received the title Princess Paley, they had a palace built near the Catherine Palace Park in Tsarskoe Selo (photographs below).

Nicholas II & Empress Alexandra attended a Ball held in the Yusupov Palace

On Tuesday February 8th 1900 Nicholas and Alexandra after an early dinner ‘went to the Alexandriinsky Theatre, where the Italian Salvini played the role of “Otello” with our people. From there we went off to a ball at the Yusupovs. A supper was served for us in their theatre – this was very beautiful. We returned home after 3 am.” Photograph (below) of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika River in St. Petersburg

Photographs c1900 (below) of the Ballroom, Banquet Hall, Nikolaevsky Hall, Roman Hall, Music Room and the Antique Hall

Rare Photograph c1917 of Nicholas & Alexandra’s Malachite Hall in the Winter Palace

The Malachite Hall [189] on the 2nd floor of the Winter Palace was the entrance room to the apartment of Nicholas and Alexandra where family dinners and gatherings were held. After the revolution the Malachite Hall was one of the former rooms of the imperial couple used by the provisional government in late summer of 1917 (photo below).

Photograph c1920s (below) of the Malachite Hall during the 1920s when the former imperial apartment was opened as a museum

Grand Duchess Ella’s Bequest to her sister Empress Alexandra

Grand Duke Sergei noted in a letter on January 27th 1897 to his brother Paul that ‘the painting La Vierge received from the French exhibition – it’s lovely’. La Vierge (Rest of the Virgin) was the original name of The Dream of the Virgin. V.P. Trofimov Watercolor c1900 (below) of Grand Duchess Ella’s Study in the Moscow Governor General’s Mansion (note on the right a partial view of the left side of The Dream of the Virgin)

The French artist Eduard Jerome Poupion had exhibited The Dream of the Virgin at the 1896 Paris Salon. After the death of Sergei in 1905 Ella hung the painting in the Kremlin’s Nicholas Palace (below partial view of the frame - with the staff of her warehouses April 1906).

E.J. Poupion Painting c1896 (below) of The Dream of the Virgin

Prior to her move to the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent the grand duchess bequeathed The Dream of the Virgin to her sister Alexandra and the portrait of Alexander III to Nicholas II in memory of her husband Sergei. Photograph (below) of Alexandra’s Mauve Boudoir in the Alexander Palace with The Dream of the Virgin

Photograph (below) of Nicholas’ New Study in the Alexander Palace with the portrait of Alexander III

Catalogue from the Children of Nicholas II’s Exhibition

Last winter an exhibition on the ‘Children’s World of the Family of Emperor Nicholas II’ was held in a small palace on the Kolomenskoye estate. The catalogue is online (see link below photos).

 







Catalogue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hKmKV83GPc