Kshesinskaya's mansion in St. Petersburg is one of the most important sights of the Art Nouveau era. Its elegant appearance on the Petrograd side is an undoubted decoration of the city. But, in addition to architectural merits, the Kshesinskaia mansion is a place historically important and interesting. Legends still circulate around him. And the very figure of a ballerina, a beautiful woman, is shrouded in a halo of romance and mystery.
The history of the ballerina
Matilda Kshesinskaya was born in a ballet family. Her mother danced on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater, her grandfather was a violinist, and her father was a famous dancer, a unique performer of mazurka. The girl spent all her childhood behind the curtains. At 8, she, like her sister and brother, was sent to a choreographic school. Here she was initially in a special situation: all the children lived in an educational institution, and she was only allowed to come to classes.
From early childhood, Matilda was very fond of being in the spotlight. She went to school on a pony harnessed to a small stagecoach, and reveled in curious looks. At school, she also knew how to be a leader, although she was always compared to her sister. Even when she came to the theater after school, she became Kshesinska-2. The first was Julia. Matilda did not become the first student, but from her youth she was a purposeful careerist and was able to turn the circumstances in her favor. At the graduation in the choreographic school, she was able to charm the emperor. And he wished her “to be the pride of the Russian ballet”. At the gala graduation party, which was attended by members of the imperial family, she first met with the heir to the throne, Nikolai, and a spark ran between them.
After that, she made a lot of efforts to constantly catch the eye of the heir and as a result she got a date in private, after which a relationship was established between them. Kshesinskaya, not hiding, began to live alone in the house where she received Nicholas. Relations ended after the engagement of the heir to the throne with the German princess Alice. But Kshesinskaya did not waste time in vain. Besides the fact that she made a successful career in the theater, not being shy about complaining to the members of the imperial family about any harassment, she also struck up relations with the Grand Duke - Sergei Mikhailovich. Thanks to such connections and high dance technique, Matilda reaches considerable heights in the theater. She boldly intrigues against any competitors and becomes the leading ballerina of the Imperial Theater. She is the first domestic prima ballerina who was able to master 34 fouet.
Since 1900, Matilda has simultaneously started two novels with members of the imperial family: Sergei Mikhailovich and Andrei Vladimirovich. Kshesinskaya gives birth in 1902 from Prince Andrei to his son. Since that time, Sergei Mikhailovich remains her only friend. Matilda has been working in the theater for two more years, but he is becoming less and less interested in her. She enthusiastically plunges into the arrangement of her family (so far unofficial) life. Kshesinskaia’s special talent was the ability to charm men. With all her lovers, she maintained friendly relations and skillfully enjoyed their support.
Life after the ballet
In 1904, Kshesinskaya leaves the theater of her own free will. At a benefit, she receives a luxurious gift from the imperial family. She concludes a contract with the theater for one-time performances. Her fee ranged from 500 to 750 rubles per performance. In 1917, she left Petersburg and sent to Kislovodsk, and later to France. Before the revolution, Prince Andrew gave her a luxurious mansion on the French coast. He became her refuge after emigration.
In 1921, Matilda in France officially married Prince Andrew. He finally adopted his own son, who previously bore the patronymic of Sergei. In 1924, she was granted the nobility and the title of Princess Krasinskaya. And in 1935, he and Prince Andrew received the title of Most Serene Princes Romanovsky-Krasinsky. A year later, Kshesinskaya finally parted with the scene. But she taught for a long time. In 1960, she published memoirs written by her with her husband. The ballerina died in 1971, only a few months before the centenary.
The history of the construction of the mansion
In 1904, Matilda Kshesinskaya decided to build her own house. Of course, this should be the best and most unusual mansion. Choosing a place, the ballerina drew attention to the most fashionable territory of that time - the Petrograd side. She found suitable land on Bolshaya Dvoryanskaya Street and invited Alexander von Gauguin, the most popular architect, to create the project.
In 1904, the Kshesinskaya mansion was erected in record time. Two years later, Matilda received her palace. She entrusted the design of interiors to the architect Alexander Ivanov. For the design of the house, only professional suppliers were invited and the best things were bought. Matilda wanted to hit the light. And she did it. In 1906, the Kshesinskaya mansion was opened in St. Petersburg, its address is Bolshaya Dvoryanskaya Street, house No. 2-4 and Kronverksky Prospekt, house No. 1. The house has become the most fashionable place in the capital.
Biography of architect A.I. von Gauguin
Choosing an architect to create a project for her house, Kshesinskaya sorted out a lot of candidates. But stopped at Alexander von Gauguin. He was very famous for his work - numerous houses, churches and public buildings in St. Petersburg and its suburbs. He was a vivid representative of the Art Nouveau style, the most fashionable at that time. The Kshesinskaya mansion became an important project for A. Gauguin. He glorified his name for years to come. To get such a customer as Matilda Kshesinskaya was a great success for the architect, as she did not skimp on expenses and was ready for bold experiments.
A.A. von Gauguin began architectural practice in 1877. He also had an artist’s diploma, created sculptures, and painted. For some time he worked as an architect in the War Ministry: he built temples, buildings of officer meetings, hospitals. In 1903 he became an architect of the Imperial Court. This significantly increased the number of aristocratic clients. And that is why Kshesinskaya came to him, who all her life tried to maintain her closeness to the royal family. Gauguin received a classical education. He graduated from the Academy of Arts, but at the turn of the century he was actively building in the Art Nouveau style, developing and enriching this style with new decorative and architectural solutions.
The main architectural style of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the XX century
The mansion of the ballerina Kshesinskaya was supposed to correspond to all fashion trends. Therefore, when discussing the construction of a house with an architect, she immediately opted for the "modern" style, which was then the most advanced and vibrant in Russian architecture. It is distinguished by the desire to use natural forms, the inclusion of various elements of oriental architecture, a harmonious combination of utilitarianism and aesthetics, a craving for decorativeness, and strong external effects. All this corresponded to the time of the turn of the century, when there was a sense of a change of eras, a search was going on for new forms, ideas, new canons of beauty. Gauguin was a representative of the early northern Art Nouveau in St. Petersburg. In his buildings, the style has not yet been fully disclosed, but all the distinctive features of this direction were present in his buildings.
Northern Art Nouveau features asymmetry of forms, a tendency to use natural materials in decoration, a harmonious selection of textures and shades of decoration in natural tones. Buildings in this style resemble medieval castles and northern rocky shores in color and texture. Floral ornaments, decoration with majolica panels and mosaics are another feature of this trend. Structures in style are distinguished by the contrast of textures, large, massive forms, a wide variety of forms of window openings. The Kshesinskaya mansion in St. Petersburg became a worthy example of early northern Art Nouveau.
Mansion device
The idea of building a mansion came to Matilda after the birth of her son. In the house on Promenade des Anglais, she could allocate only one room to the child, and she wanted him to live comfortably with her after she grew up. Going to equip the mansion, Matilda expressed her wishes to the architect. In her memoirs, she writes that she outlined the interior decoration of some rooms. She wanted space and maximum comfort. And the Kshesinskaya mansion became a combination of beauty and convenience. The ballerina not only wanted to impress the guests and onlookers, but also to live with maximum comfort.
The layout of the mansion was very convenient. Everything was provided for in it. There was even a luxurious dressing room of two rooms: one housed the clothes of the hostess, the other - stage costumes. Everything was numbered. Matilda could simply send a note to the maid with the wardrobe number, so that she would send her the right dress anywhere. The kitchen was very spacious and equipped with the latest technology. Kshesinskaya often invited guests here after dinner.
In the house there was a room for animals: the fox-terrier of Dzhibi, a cow, which provided the child with fresh milk, pigs and goats, with which Matilda spoke at Esmeralda. Also, the farm had a separate laundry room, a garage for two cars. A luxurious wine cellar is also provided for guests in the house, the filling of which was personally taken care of by Prince Andrey. The front part of the house was a luxurious suite of rooms, each of which impressed with style and magnificence. A separate pride of the hostess was a magnificent winter garden.
Style and architecture of the mansion
Creating a new home project, the architect Gauguin literally put his soul into it. He thought through every detail, while clearly following the wishes of the customer. The Kshesinskaya mansion has an asymmetric composition, its base is made up of equal volumes. The unusual thing about the house is that there is no main entrance on the front side facing Kronverksky Avenue. It is hidden in a small courtyard outside the gates of a granite fence. The originality of the facade is given by the free rhythm of windows of different sizes and shapes. Their openings correspond to the internal layout of the premises.
The plan of the house assumed that its lower part would be given for various office premises, and the main floor would be occupied by ceremonial chambers: a salon for receiving guests, a dining room, and ballrooms. The latter, by the way, were planned in the form of enfilade, reminiscent of palace interiors. At the same time, the personal chambers of the family will be placed on the second floor: bedrooms, dressing rooms, bathroom, children's room. Quite spacious, bright rooms were reserved for the servants. Matilda did not skimp on this either.
The facade of the house is decorated with red and gray natural granite and light-facing brick with elements of blue majolica and metal decor. The style is Northern Art Nouveau, which implies restraint and elegance. The house does not look luxurious in appearance, but it gives the impression of a refined style.
Interior
Mansion M.F. Kshesinskaia was designed for great effect by its interior decoration. For its design applied all the best. The furniture was ordered from the largest manufacturer Meltzer. Accessories, furnishings, lamps, chandeliers, dishes, fabrics - everything was ordered to the smallest detail in the best salons in Paris. Matilda wanted to have the best and was not shy about spending.
At the request of the hostess, one ceremonial hall was decorated in the style of Louis the Sixteenth, the second - of the Russian Empire. The walls of the first room were covered with yellow silk, the second - white. For bedrooms, she preferred the English style with white furniture. The dining room and lounge were decorated in modern style. The interior was thought out to the smallest detail. Everything - from the latch to the chandeliers - the architect Dmitriev selected in accordance with the concept of the room. Therefore, the guests were struck not only by luxury, but also by the absolute harmony and integrity of the interiors, which were ideally emphasized by the proportions and shapes of the rooms and windows.
Center for social life
After the opening, the Kshesinskaya mansion, whose photo fell into all the newspapers, became a gathering place for high society. Matilda was very proud of her work and was ready to conduct tours almost. All the celebrities of that time were here. Esenin often came with Isadora Duncan, who became very close to the mistress of the mansion. Chaliapin has been. Colleagues of the ballerina came: Karsavina, Nizhinsky, Pavlova. Sergei Diaghilev stayed with Matilda for a long time, with whom he was friends.
Kshesinskaya loved to organize concerts, inviting the best musicians for this. For example, the Italian star Lina Cavalieri. A frequent guest in the house was Carl Fabereger. And, of course, representatives of the imperial family became the main guests of Kshesinskaya. Receptions, home performances were often arranged here, grand dinners rolled up. For ten years, Matilda led a happy, luxurious life in her mansion, but 1917 came. Everything has changed.
Times of revolution
At the end of 1916, Matilda began to receive letters with threats, but so far she was not very worried. And in February 1917, she had to directly face revolutionary changes. On February 28, rioters burst into the mansion, began to smash and rob. Kshesinskaya and her son hurriedly left the house, grabbing a chest of valuables. For ten days arbitrariness reigned in the house. And only on March 10, an officer from the town governor's service was able to describe the preserved values, which were then transferred to the bank. Matilda fought for a long time for their return, but did not achieve anything. However, the largest part of things had already disappeared without a trace.
The revolutionary leadership has looked after the house to place its headquarters here. And the Kshesinskaya mansion in St. Petersburg, it was decided to "compact". For six months, Matilda tried to defend her right to a house: she sued, appealed to Kerensky. She received soothing news from everywhere. But no one has vacated the house. In July 1917, Kshesinskaya leaves for the cottage in Kislovodsk. She will never again see her mansion.
The period of Soviet power
After 1917, the Petrosoviet is located in the house, then the Museum of the Revolution. During this period, street names change. And the questions about where the Kshesinskaya mansion (address) is located, how to get to it, become very relevant. The residents of St. Petersburg will have to get used to the fact that Bolshaya Dvoryanskaya Street is now called after Kuibyshev. At different times, the Institute of Public Catering and the Society of Old Bolsheviks were also housed in the mansion. And only by the mid-30s, it was decided to give it to the museum.
Museum and mansion
In 1938, the Museum of Sergei Kirov was opened here. By this time, the atmosphere of the mansion was almost completely lost. There were only elements of the interior decoration. In 1957, they created the Museum of the Revolution, restored the atmosphere of one of the offices of the leaders of the coup. The Kshesinskaya mansion, whose opening hours are now determined by the museum’s regime, is connected to the neighboring building - the mansion of Baron Brant. In 1991, the complex was given over to the Museum of the Political History of Russia, part of the exhibition is dedicated to the times of Matilda Kshesinskaya.
Mansion life today
The Kshesinskaya mansion in St. Petersburg today appears in two guises: it continues to work as a museum of history, but many visitors come here to see the remnants of luxurious interiors with their own eyes. Here, few of the furnishings have been preserved, but the halls themselves remain almost in their original form. The Kshesinskaya mansion, whose address has now become the venue for literary and musical evenings, allows you to see the brilliant, stylish idea of architects and the magnificent execution of this idea. The preserved main staircase, halls, chandeliers give an idea of the scope of the project. The Kshesinskaya mansion (St. Petersburg) has the following opening hours: from 10 to 18. Today, it attracts many guests and residents of the Northern capital as a stylish object and a place where the life of an unusual woman took place.
Legends of the mansion
Kshesinskaya's mansion in St. Petersburg has always been shrouded in various rumors and legends. Even during construction, people used to say: Emperor Nicholas II himself gave the money for such a magnificent building. It was by his order that an underground passage was laid between the house and the Winter Palace. This rumor was so stable that today some visitors to the mansion want to see it with their own eyes.
Also, the mansion of Matilda Kshesinskaya, whose history and luxury struck the imagination of the proletariat, was accompanied by rumors of a treasure throughout the post-revolutionary fate. Since not many jewelry and luxury items were officially found during the seizure of the building, there was a legend among the people that Matilda packed all her valuables in a chest and hid them. Nobody has been able to find it so far. Another urban rumor is associated with the vision of a female figure in the windows of the mansion. Residents of the Petrograd side say that at night there is a ghost of a ballerina who can’t part from her beloved house.
Interesting Facts
Kshesinskaya's mansion in St. Petersburg is a historical place. Here in 1917, Vladimir Lenin spoke from the balcony. Since 1938 it was used as a museum, first S. Kirov, then - the Revolution and, finally, the political history of Russia. The huge wardrobe of the ballerina, who was in the mansion, was confiscated after the revolution. For many years, Alexander Kollontai, a Russian revolutionary and diplomat, could be seen in the dresses of Matilda.