The Chinese Palace in Oranienbaume is made by style. Chinese Palace of Catherine II in Oranienbaum

Chinese palace, Pearl of the Palace-Park Ensemble "Oranienbaum", which is part of the State Museum-Reserve "Peterhof", is the only monument of Rococo architecture in Russia. He celebrates his 250th birthday, and a perennial restoration became a gifile. This year was open after the restoration of the three halls: a tallery, the boudoir and the office of Paul.

The Chinese palace was erected by 1768 by order of Empress Catherine II and was built for short-term recreation. A Gardener Lamberti was invited to plan the park, and the recently arrived in the project of the Palace, the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi - the Rococo style of Rococo style and early classicism in Russia.

For the first time, the interest in China arose in Russia at the end of the XV century, when the merchants began to bring Far Eastern fabrics to Moscow. And by the middle of the XVIII century, all the more or less wealthy Petersburg houses were furnished with Chinese things. The royal court asked the tone in this fashion on the "Shinazri", Chinese style. The Chinese palace got its name because of the decoration of some rooms. There was a large collection of works of Chinese decorative and applied art and Japanese porcelain.

Fragment of the southern facade. Sculpture "Amur and Psyche" - a copy from an ancient original from the Capitol Museum in Rome.
The facades of the palace are decorated with pilasters and semi-colonges with ionic capitals and garlands. From the southern facade there are two adorable kindergarten with marble sculpture and blooming flower beds. The palace is planned by the letter "P" and has three embesides: a parade, sixty-five meters long, and two residential, short, located to it perpendicular.
For two centuries, in connection with the change of owners, the palace has undergone a number of rearrangements, the second floor was prescribed. Up to the 1917 revolution, Oranienbaum was the property of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitsky.

The halls are decorated with picturesque panels, set of parquets, gilded carvings, embroidery and furniture with inlay natural colored stones. Interiors are preserved with a unique decorative decoration of the XVIII century. It is known that for its situation, French merchants Francois Reber and Billio from 1765 to 1768 were supplied to the furniture and bronze "in the newest taste" to the palace. Famous artists Stefano Torelli, Giovanni Battista Tapolo, Brothers Serafino and Giuseppe Barotzi, sculptor Marie-Anne Collo, Mosaic Master of Jacob Martigny and Russian masters of the Peterhofa Corner Factory engaged in interior decoration.

Glass cabinet. Mirror in a carved goxed frame
The main attractions of the Palace - Glass Cabinet and Unique Parquets. Cabinet walls are decorated with 12 panels - these are canvas for which the stitching with glass and multi-colored patterned silk - cullen. Unique Palace Palace Parquets are scored from red and black wood, Amaranta, Samshat, Persian Walnut, Maple. "A genuine miracle, full of miracles of the eighteenth century," wrote Igor Grabar about the Chinese Palace.

Glass Cabinet
The glass office in the XVIII century was called mosaic peace. He had a floor of a smalt glass made according to the recipe M.V. Lomonosov on the neighboring Ust-Ruditsky factory. Because of the dampness, it was not preserved in the middle of the XIX century, it was replaced by a typical wooden parquet with a repeating of a mosaic pattern. The walls of the cabinet are separated by carved goxed frames in the form of trunks with leaves and flowers on separate panels with glass. Their twelve is ten on the walls and two desesyport. Depending on the lighting, the panel is poured with lilac, pink, blue and silver shades. On top of a glass background with special silk threads - cinevo - embroidered fantastic plots with landscapes and birds - the unique work of Russian masters-gold costers under the guidance of the French Mary de Shan.

Music Hall
The picturesque decor belongs to the brush Stefano Torelli. The ceiling depicted Venus and Grazi, on the walls and paduge - Apollo with the Amurists and nine music, personifying art.

Non-flowing
"We managed to return to the palace a lot of genuine items and to disclose painting hiding under the layers of paint, - Tatyana Syasina, the keeper of the Chinese palace, shows a tallery. "Although many items we acquired anew." Describes the XVIII century not preserved, they appeared only in the XX century. But there are descriptions of things that bought the latest Oranienbaum owners - Mecklenburg-Strelitsky.

The XIX century is preserved - according to its sample and recreated up the upholstery. Mirror returned here, fireplace screen, other genuine things. Friends of the museum presented porcelain vases of Maissen manufactory - similar to them stood here 250 years ago. On the previous place, the shape of the work of Majotto was watered. On the wall panels under the windows, genuine painting of the XVIII century is revealed.

Wardrobe

St. Petersburg is famous for palaces and parks, located not only in himself, but also in its surroundings. So, one of the architectural attractions of this region is the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum, an interesting history, external and internal decoration.

Where is the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum?

Oranienbaum settlement since 1948 is no longer there, so wishes to visit the Chinese palace will face the problem, how to get to it. In fact, everything is very simple, you should go to the city of Lomonosov. Since this town is one of and is located just 40 km away, then tourists should first come to the northern capital, and then by bus, train, minibus or ferry to get to the Palace and Park Ensemble "Oranienbaum".

There are several options:

from the Metro station "Avtovo" - Bus number 200 and minibuses №424A and №300;
from the station Baltic station - electric train;
from the metro station "Veterans Avenue" - Minibus No. 343;
from the port: Ferry St. Petersburg - Kronstadt - Lomonosov.

You can find the Chinese Palace in the western part of the Upper Park (or your own cottage), at the end of the triple lime alley.

What is interesting to the Chinese palace?

This elegant structure was created as a personal residence of Empress Catherine II and her son Paul. The Chinese palace was erected in 1768 on the project Antonio Rinaldi in Rococo style, but using the Chinese motifs and works of the art in the interior of Chinese motives, for which he received its name.

The northern part of the facades is almost completely preserved, despite the completion of the second floor, while the south side was completely changed.

Externally, the Chinese palace is quite simple, but his interior is striking visitors with their manifold and wealth. Among the inner premises are of great interest.

Palace and Park Ensemble Lomonosov (Oranienbaum)

The ensemble of own cottage. Treasures of the Chinese Palace

Oranienbaum (it. Oranienbaum - "Orange Tree") - Palace-Park Ensemble on south Bank Finnish bay 40 km west of St. Petersburg. Located on the territory of Lomonosov (until 1948 - Oranienbaum) and includes palaces and parks of the XVIII century. The palace and park ensemble is part of the monument World Heritage « History Center St. Petersburg and associated complexes of monuments. " Located in the depths of the Upper Park, the Chinese Palace is part of the palace park complex Own cottage of Empress Catherine II.

Chinese palace

built in 1762 - 1768 by the project and under the guidance of a major architect the time of Antonio Rinaldi (1709 - 1794), with the name of which the most important period is connected in the creation of an Oranienbaum architectural ensemble. Having arrived from Italy at the invitation of K. G. Romumbovsky (1751), Rinaldi spent many years in Russia, having gained the second homeland here.

Chinese palace Along with the other most valuable architectural monuments of that time belongs to the masterpieces of Russian art. The name entrusted after him in the XIX century is conditional. The appearance of the building has nothing to do with the architecture of China. Only in the decoration of some rooms are used freely projected Chinese decorative motifs. A large collection of works of Chinese decorative art and Japanese porcelain was collected in the palace. Partially a meeting is preserved.

The palace is a relatively small elongated building, a somewhat resembling summer park pavilion. Its surrounds a low panel of stone plates and a decorative cast iron grille. Two small ground garden, broken in front of the southern facade, are included in the overall composition of the construction and according to the plan of the architecture are an integral part of it. The middle part of the palace is somewhat overestimated and serves its composite center. The facades are treated with pilasters, the calm rhythm of which is emphasized by smooth planes of the walls. Windows and glazed doors are decorated with stucco framing.

Half Paul:
3 - Pink Living Room
4 - Towder
5 - Boudo.
6 - Paul Cabinet

Parade Anfilada:
7 - Muses Hall
8 - Blue Living Room
9 - Glass Cabinet
10 - Big Hall
11 - plastering peace
12 - Small Chinese Cabinet
13 - Big Chinese Cabinet

Half Catherine II:
14 - Chinese Exchange
15 - Chamberling
16 - Portraight
17 - Cabinet Catherine II.

The appearance of the building, the combination of its volumes, proportions and the ratio of individual parts detect the location of the interior. The difference in the appointment of the latter is emphasized by the features of the architectural solution and decoration of the corresponding facade sites. The palace plan is characterized by symmetry and compositional equilibrium. It is characterized by an imbuilt system - the location of interior interiors on one axis:

Big Hall of the Chinese Palace ,

having a height of 8.5 meters. Such central frontal halls that were often called "Italian" play the role of an important organizing level in the planning of palace buildings.

The big hall serves as a composite center of the Palace. It was intended for solemn techniques, so his decoration was solved in a more strict style than other rooms. The hall in the plan is an oval that he gave rise to one more name - round.

A significant part of the walls of the hall is free from any decor, and it is not by chance. The walls are treated with artificial marble of various colors - this material itself has a sufficient decorative effect. The rigor and solemnity of the room also give windows-doors and columns. The presence of columns makes the interior to some extent classic.

On Eastern I. western Walls Over the doors in plastering and glass cabinet are marble bas-relief images of Peter I and Elizabeth Petrovna. They were executed by M.-A. Collo on special order Catherine II. Bas reliefs are included in oval form medallions made of red and blue smalt.

The smooth surface of the walls contrasts with an elegant ceiling smearing, completely covering high hollows and ceiling overlap. The stucco decor, consisting of branches, garlands of flowers, wreaths, birds almost completely reflected in the drawing of parquet. However, if light tones predominate in the decoration of the ceiling, the floor is mainly made of dark wood (light only the center of the room).

On the sides of the hall, along the main axis of the palace, there are living rooms (blue and lilac)

Chinese palace. Blue living room. Plafond "Time Kidding Truth" F. Tsuno

The interior of the blue living room and other premises of the Chinese Palace at the beginning of the 20th century was captured in a series of watercolors, made for the last owner of the Chinese Palace - the Great Princess Elena Georgievna, who wished to perpetuate his unique appearance. Watercolors with images of the halls of the palace and details of their decoration were part of the album called "Oranienbaume, plans and cuts of the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum, filled with former students of the St. Petersburg Central School of Technical Drawing of Baron Stiglitz", formed in 1911 and kept in Elena Georgievna's Personal Assembly; Now the album is located in the State Hermitage. "

Watercolors had an invaluable service to modern restorers. Looking at the interiors captured by artists, the masters restored the decoration of the premises

Cabinets (glass and small Chinese) included in the enfilade of the front rooms.

Decorative design of a glass cabinet is distinguished by an impeccable taste. Oriental motives, here barely planned the topics of the drawing, anticipate the already fantastic exoticism of the East, which will find its place in the decoration of the Chinese Palace Cabinets.

Chinese palace. Glass cabinet. Fragment of interior

According to Wikipedia, the most famous rest of the Chinese palace is a glass office that retained the genuine decoration of the 1760s. Room walls are decorated with glass panels. These are canvas on which the stitching glass is made. The glass was made on a mosaic factory based in the vicinity of Oranienbaum by the Russian scientist M. V. Lomonosov.

Against the background of a glass of cinevo (darned silk) embroidered complex compositions with images of fantastic birds among no less fantastic landscape. For a long time it was believed that Panel was made in France, but now it has been established that they were embroidered nine Russian gold boards under the leadership of Mary de Shan.

Panels are enclosed in frames with gilded threads, imitating tree trunks, seized with leaves, flowers and grapes, are extremely expressive due to the depth of the carved relief reaching 18 centimeters.

In order for the glass office to appear today in front of visitors to the Chinese Palace in all its glory, a very difficult job was carried out by restorers. When in the last century, an attempt was made to restore a glasswork, the masters did not find anything better, how to update the panel with paint. Modern restorers needed to save a glass of paint.

The priceless products were restored in the workshops of the Hermitage. Many difficulties caused the lack of glass on some threads. I had to restore everything. Until now, no one has ever made such works, so the restorers were looking for ways to solve problems, without being able to rely on any experience.

The linen lining of each panel was also strongly contaminated and deformed, breakdown in places. As a result of restoration and conservation, all twelve panels are cleaned from a dense layer of pollution and mold. Due to the cleaning and removal of late embroidery paints, it was possible to return the original color gamut and reveal the elegant drawing. Velvet threads of cilins and fiberglass are fortified. Losses of fiberglass are replenished in strict accordance with the original technique.

Chinese palace. Small chinese office. Fragment of interior

Chinese palace. Small Chinese Cabinet

Anfilade ends with the Eastern and Western sides

Chinese palace. Hall Music Painting S.Telli. 1768.

and big chinese office

Chinese palace. Big Cabinet, Fragment of the Interior

Supplement the decoration of a large Chinese Cabinet genuine objects of applied art of the XVIII century China and Japan, unusual for Europeans in shape, color, material from which they are made. The finishing of the Chinese flower is also distinguished by originality and exotic. A set of parquet, with the inclusion in the composition of plant and geometric motifs, meets the overall design in the design.

Chinese palace. Big Chinese Cabinet. Fragment of interior

Chinese palace. BIG HALL. Fragment with fireplace

Chinese palace. BIG HALL. Bas-relief

Big Chinese Cabinet. Floof "Union of Europe and Asia". S. Barotzi

Big Chinese Cabinet. A pool table. England, V. Clock Workshop

The big Chinese office became famous not only with her finish. It contains a famous billiard table. "Petrovsky table preserved to our times and is located in the Chinese palace in Oranienbauma," say the authors of the book "Billiard Peter" A. I. Turkin and V.N. Brewers.

There is also a small summary printed in the guidebook on this museum and in the passport of this table (it is every genuine exhibit): "The English carved billiard table of the beginning of the XVIII century, which was previously probably in a large (Menshikov) palace, reminds of What exactly in the XVIII century. The game in the billiards entered the Russian everyday life, and at the same time special billiard rooms have become almost mandatory belonging to any noble estate. " And the fact that this unique billiards once could belong to Peter I, confirm scientifically, unfortunately, until it was possible because there is no weight arguments.

The front is adjacent to the big room, through which in the XVIII century was the main entrance. Next to her is a dressing room.

Chinese palace. Wardrobe

Through the Blue Living Room and the Small Chinese Cabinet, the parade of anfilad is directly connected to the small enfiders of the former "personal" rooms of Catherine II and her son Paul.

with

Chinese palace. Boudoir. D.Guran. Plafond "Psyche and Flora". 1760s

Chinese palace. Non-flowing
Nutrition. Plafond "Urania, training young man" D. Majotto
Chinese palace. Toilet. Plafof "Geography" of Ditiani Chinese palace. Chinese crowd. Plafof "Chinese Sacrifice" D. Guarana Chinese palace. Boudoir

The Chinese palace was built in the period transitional in the history of Russian architecture, when architectural and decorative techniques that received bright development in the 40s - 50s of the XVIII century have already ceased to meet new artistic requirements, and another style who changed them soon - classicism - has not yet managed Find your finished expression in architecture.

The features of this transition period are particularly clearly advised in the appearance of the facades of the palace, where the underlined decorativeness and the parade of the buildings are inflounted by the relative simplicity and laconicity of the artistic finish, which was characteristic of the folded classicism.

Two large Italian painters - Stefano Torelli (1712 - 1784) and Seraphino Barozzi (mind in 1810) - worked on the decoration of the palace with paintings and paintings. Sophisticated architectural and decorative tasks found a skillful solution here thanks to high professional skills and a large artistic culture of builders and decorators.

Unique in the artistic value of the Palace parcelas with a total area of \u200b\u200b722 square meters. The meter is collected from many domestic and "overseas" tree species, including red, pink, black and lemon tree, rosewood, Amarant, Samshat, Persian Walnut, Oak and others. Wooden plates stuck in the form of various drawings on the shields. Small patterns were then cut out or burned. For each room, his original pattern of parquet was gained, closely linked with the rest of her artistic trim.

The organic part of the architectural decoration of the interiors of the Chinese Palace is decorative painting. Wall paintings, panels, plafones occupy an important place in his finish. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of these unique pictorial works.

Chinese palace. Portrait. Fragment of interior

For the decoration of the rooms and halls of the palace purchased first-class works of visual and applied art. Most of the plafones written in the canvas were carried out in Venice to specially ordered by a group of famous painters of the Venice Academy of Arts. In the palace, valuable collections of Russian and Western European porcelain, furniture, as well as Chinese and Japanese articles of the XVIII - XIX centuries were collected.

sources

Chinese palace. Top park. Pergola.

The Chinese palace is part of the Grand Palace and Park Complex "Privacy" Empress Ekaterina II. The construction of the palace was carried out by Architect Antonio Rinaldi. According to his project, a large rectangular pond was pulled in front of the southern facade of the Chinese palace, on the left bank of which the Freinty house was built, and the right to take a place for a coffee house (the project of this construction was never implemented). The eastern facade of the palace, already abroad of his own cottage, a kitchen housing was built.

In the middle of the XIX century, the Chinese palace acquires new outlines. Great Princess Elena Pavlovna produces big conversion here. According to the project of architects L.L. Bonstedta and A.I. The second floor was soldered, a glazed gallery appeared, supplied under the balcony that appeared at the same time and connecting two rizalites from the south, from the east and the west to the end parts of the building were attached small anticarne premises.

If the appearance of the palace has undergone changes, then the interior decoration has been preserved, more than its part, from the XVIII century. The Chinese Palace embodied the fashionable influences and aesthetic addiction of the XVIII century, all the decoration of the palace is carried out by European and Russian masters with amazing fantasy.

The Chinese Palace, a brilliant sample of Rococo style in Russia, is considered to be the pearl of the palace and park ensemble Oranienbaum. Absolute authenticity makes this multi-sided suburbs unique, highlighting it from all imperial residences that brilliant necklaces are framed by the Northern Capital

Earth in the southern shore of the Finnish Gulf, on which Oranienbaum will subsequently be located, Emperor Peter I complained to his pet, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, who led the construction of the Kronstadt fortress on the island of Kotlin. The construction of a large (Menshikovo) Baroque Palace began in 1711, and the date of consecration of the Palace Church - September 3, 1727 - is considered to be an end. The authors of the project were architects J. M. Fontana, I.G. Wesond and I.F. Brownshtein. In 1742, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna presented the estate to his nephew, the future Emperor Peter III. For him, the famous Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi houses the "funny" fortress Peterstadt and the miniature palace. Later, Oranienbaum becomes a summer residence of Empress Catherine II. The so-called "own cottage" of the Empress amounted to the Chinese palace (1762-1768), the Pavilion of the Catal Gorka (1762-1774), built by A. Rinaldi, as well as the surrounding top park.

Oranienbaum received its name from German toponym. The legend also reported to us the story of the orange trees cultivated here at the beginning of the 18th century, giving the city name and included in his coat of arms.

Catherine II, being another great princess, he chose for himself in Oranienbaum "cherished" corner. In his "notes", she recalls 1757: "I came fantasy to dissolve myself a garden ... But I knew that the Grand Duke would not give me any land of the earth, and therefore asked the princes of Golitsyn to sell or give me 100 tents for a long time Abandoned ... Earth, to which they owned near Oranienbaum himself ... They willingly gave it to me. I began to draw plans and smash the garden, and since for the first time I was engaged in plans and buildings, then everything went out with me huge and awkward. "

Ekaterina Alekseevna was able to embody Ekaterina Alekseevna in only five years later, with the work on the Russian throne. In 1762, the construction of his own cottage begins, and, above all, the "stone house and mountains". All work was carried out "under the look at A. Rinaldi and its drawings. Catherine II sometimes came to Oranienbaum, watching the construction of a Dutch house, or the Chinese palace. The housewarming in the Chinese Palace of Empress celebrated July 27, 1768. This Sunday day was marked by the Divine Liturgy in the temple of St. Panteleimon, and then a major meal took place in honor of the completion of the building of the Palace: High-alleged bishops, Archimandrites, together with nobles, have dinner and "died for the highest Emper Majesty Health."

In the 1770s, Empress often visits Oranienbaum and takes high guests here: not only "alien" ministers arrive with visits, but also the royal specialists - the King of Sweden Gustavi III, the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. On July 17, 1780, Catherine II first showed the palace to his grandchildren, great princes Alexander and Konstantin. Since 1796, Oranienbaum belonged to the great prince Alexander Pavlovich (the future emperor Alexander I), and in 1831 the residence passed into the sole ownership of his brother Mikhail Pavlovich. Later, the mistress of the estate was the spouse of Mikhail Pavlovich Elena Pavlovna, and then their daughter Ekaterina Mikhailovna, who married the Duke of George Mecklenburg-Strelitsky; Their children are George, Mikhail and Elena - owned Oranienbaum until 1917.

The Chinese summer entertainment palace was named thanks to the luxurious decoration of the four rooms, aged in the spirit of the presentation of the time of the art of the East. Other names are found: "The house that in the upper garden", "the house is small, its own imperial Majesty." And indeed, he is least suited by a loud definition of the "Palace" - he rather resembles a park pavilion, standing at a low stylobate that form a terrace.

Modest outwardly, the palace is striking by its inner decoration. Gilding and mirrors, ornaments of shells, floral garlands, curls, fancy curved frames, stucco patterns, whimsically running along the walls, hollows and ceilings, exquisite paintings, fired by the pearl haze - all this creates an atmosphere of stockiness and coziness. This is the style of Rococo, which existed for a short time in the XVIII century, but left in Russia a bright footprint - an exquisite and chamber Chinese palace in Oranienbaum. The stylized oriental motifs of decorative decoration and many genuine works of art of China and Japan give a special refinement to the interiors of Rococo. "The Chinese Palace is the only Pearl, an artistic work before all, before harmonious, so amazingly fulfilled - such a graceful, elegant trinket, which, looking at him, can not be housing ...", - wrote a famous art historian a . Benua. The interiors of the Chinese Palace are kept the primary decoration of the XVIII century: a rare collection of painting of Italian artists, beautiful samples of the Eastern and Western European porcelain, furniture of Russian and European masters. One of the main attractions of the Palace are unique parquets, made in the drawings of Rinaldi; They do not have equal in Russian decorative and applied art. Initially, the floors in the palace were filled from artificial marble. In the 1770s, they were replaced by typical parquets from a variety of wood rocks (they are up to 36) - oak, maple, birch, rosewood, samshet, red and black wood, Persian walnut, Sakhardan (brown tree), Amaranth and others. Parquets that are not repeated in any room are striking with their complex pattern and refined colors.

Glass Cabinet, Landberry Glass, Hall Muses, Blue and Pink Living Rooms ... Already these names themselves talk about the exclusiveness of the palace premises, their irreversive artistic and historical value. The journey through the halls of the Palace justifies the most demanding expectations: in the design of the interiors, Rinaldi used the richest arsenal of decorative forms inherent in Rococo style, reaching the harmonious relationship of the decoration of the palace and his architecture.

The center of the symmetric composition of the Chinese Palace is a large hall, from which the premises of the Paradinary Anfilacies are deployed along the northern facade. To the main volume of the building from the south at right angles, two wings are adjacent, including small abstracts; In Western Enfilad, there were personal orders of Empress Catherine II, the eastern - room of her son, the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich.

The front room served as the lobby originally; Here, in the center of the southern part of the palace, and today there is an entrance to the building. After an extension in 1853, it began to be used as a dining room to this room of an indoor glazed gallery.

The walls of the front in the XVIII century were decorated with paintings by the Italian painter-decorator Stefano Torelli, the student of the famous Neapolitan artist Francesco Solimena. Torerely arrived in Russia in 1758, leaving the service under the Saxon Royal Court. In 1764, the painter worked on the execution Winter PalaceAnd in 1765 I began to work in Oranienbaum, and a short time, the interiors of the Chinese palace were decorated with his talented works. In the 1850s, Torelli's wall paintings in the front were replaced by architectural landscapes of an unknown artist XIX century "Diana and Akteon" and "Landscape with Ruins". In the front, a picturesque shape of the work of S. Torelli "Apollo and Art" is preserved: the patron saint of Apollo and the images of female figures, personifying "three more concerned arts" - painting, sculpture and architecture, - a favorite plot in the art of that time. A picture of an unknown Italian artist of the XVIII century "Selena and Endimion" was placed above one of the doors. Mythological plot about forever fell asleep at the venue of Zeus a vain shepherd endimion and fascinated by his beauty the goddess of the night of the Selere is found in the Chinese Palace three times.

One of the fronts of the front has retained the remarkable drawing of the pattern ornamental painting of another Italian master, Seraphino Barozzi, who just like Torelli, worked directly in the Chinese palace. Supplements the decoration of the interior of the stucco decor of Houpe and the ceiling: shells, the leaves of acanta and other plants, flower garlands.

The front decorates the XVIII century set parquet, composed of several tree breeds - walnut, amaranth, birch, sandalwood, apple, pink and mahogany; His drawing, created by Rinaldi, is reflected in the stucco decoration of the ceiling, which gives the completion of the interior design. The fireplace made of artificial marble was created in the XVIII century "plastering Master" by the Italian Alberto Jani, who worked a lot over the manufacture of the original marble floors of the Chinese Palace. Its exquisite and elegant finish the front "sets the tone" the appearance of subsequent chambers and configures no less elegant decoration to expect.

The front should be a dressing room; From the West, it is adjacent to the pink living room, tying half the heir of Pavel Petrovich with a parade entrance to the palace. Initially, the room was used in direct appointment, but it is known that during the XVIII and XIX centuries, it also served as a buffet and library.

In the decoration of the dressing room, like other interiors of the Chinese Palace, painting, embodied the stories of antique myths. The central part of the ceiling is decorated with a picturesque ceiling "Court of Paris", performed by S. Barotzi; Above the door to the front is placed Panel "Venus and Mars", and above the entrance to the pink living room - "Hercules and Omfala" - the desesyports of the works of unknown artists of the Italian school of the mid-XVIII century.

The interior of the dressing room was repeatedly updated, and only a wall above the fireplace of artificial marble came from its primary decoration. The exquisite thread, which it is decorated, is harmoniously combined with namazy molding ornament. Parquet floors of a dressing room with a slightly monotonous geometric ornament were made later than the rest of the palace parquets, in 1819, and significantly inferior to them on the wealth and complexity of the drawing.

Small Eastern Avfilad of the Chinese Palace includes the personal rooms of the Grand Prince Pavel Petrovich, among which a spacious room called a pink living room, originally called the children's. The room had another name, as it is impossible to better definitely defining the nature of its decoration in the XVIII century - "picturesque antique." In 1767, S. Barotzi decorated the walls of the living room with painting on the topic of tragedy ancient City Herculanes who died in 79 during the eruption of Vesuvius volcano. Unfortunately, during the reconstruction of the Palace in 1852-1853, the picturesque panels from all four walls were removed. They failed to restore them, and the walls were saved with paper wallpaper.

In 1894, the wallpaper was replaced on canvas painted in light pink color, after which the living room and received its current name. At the same time, the walls of the pink living room were framed by the gilded stucco decor, which gave the interior of the originality and sophistication.

The pink living room retains the genuine stucco decoration of the housing and ceiling. The elegant telling grid is the main motive in the ornament of overlapping and prudent fragments - "reflected" in the drawing of a set of parquet, which gives the interior harmonious appearance and completeness.

"Mandatory" ceiling of the living room "Diana and Aurora" was written by the Italian artist Gasparo Ditiani. The allegory of changing the night in the morning is distinguished by a thoroughly thought out composition and a thin picturesque study. The aspect forwards of "Amours playing with the bird" and "Amours playing in soap bubbles" are created by an unknown artist in the XVIII century. In this room, they were transferred, probably later; Then their rectangular shape changed. Another superior composition of the dressing room - "Amours in the clouds" - was performed in the XIX century.

Next to the pink living room, on the axis of the Malaya Anfilad, there is a palp tree. This room received its name in the XVIII century, when its walls were tightened with light green (seledon) with a pattern in the form of wavy silvery tracks, wetted white and pink flowers. The front bedroom of the heir to the throne, Cesarevich Pavel Petrovich, is divided into two parts, a smaller of which is alcove. Being part of a purely intimate, alcove is decorated with an exquisite thread with delicate floral and vegetable motifs, but since the fever was intended for the heir to the throne, the future commander, the decor includes military attributes - pipes, banners, arrows. In the depths of Alkova, the children's portrait of Pavel Petrovich, Alexey Antropov, is located. According to both sides of the alkalo, topped with a gilded cartoon in the form of a shell, in niches, placed gilded shelves with small vases of Maisen porcelain of the middle of the XVIII century.

In another part of the calf, square, special interest is of an unusual overlap in the form of a sailing arch, lined with artificial marble. This is the rare example of using such a material for decorative overlap decoration. Pale pink marble is supplemented with vegetable and rocial patterns of gilded and white modeling.

Figure Parquet Parquet, traditionally for the interiors of the Chinese Palace, consonant with a ceiling decor. In addition, he reminds about another important feature of the palace parquets - neither the composition of their set, nor the color combinations are repeated anywhere. Parquet Parquets from Walnut, Amaranth, Rosager, Samshet, Lemon, Birch and Black Tree In 1772, the Russian craftsmen "under the look of" Talented Master Johann Petersen were fulfilled.

The interior color palette perfectly complements the pinkish green fireplace from artificial marble. Among the samples of the furniture decoration are the Ladies' Bureau and the Music Table of Work of the French Masters of the middle of the XVIII century.

Pavel Petrovich's office, adjacent to the talker, is separated from the rest of the alcohol. This room is due to its miniature (less than six square meters) was also called "Cabin Tick." The walls are decorated with ornamental paintings by S. Barotzi, which includes Chinese marble and wooden plates with carved figures, hieroglyphs and landscapes. The picturesque ceiling "Geometry" was filled with the G. Ditiani: Allegorical women's figure shown on the canvas with a globe and a circulation in hands and amrages, drawing geometric shapes, they say that the room was intended for educational sessions of a young heir. The Avfilado of Pavel Petrovich's rooms is completing the Boudois. In the XVIII century, this room, the walls of which were tightened with picturesque canvas, was called the "picturesque cabinet." The current appearance of the BooR found its current appearance in 1853, when the paintings were replaced by walnut panels displaced from chamberunfer (or toilet) on half of Empress Catherine II. Three picturesque canvas are included in the wooden panels - allegorical paintings "Music", "Painting" and "Drama". Their authorship is attributed to Jacopo Guarana, who also played the Fauar Marsht and Flora.

Furniture decoration of Bouire make up the elegant French bureau of the rosewood tree and Dutch chairs made in the XIX century. Among the jewelry of this interior, porcelain predominates: Chinese vases of the middle of the XVIII century and English - with the painting of the end of the XVIII century.

The elegant and festive hall of the Music, which was intended for concerts, reveals the anfilade of the Parade halls of the Chinese Palace from the East. He is symmetrical to a large Chinese cabinet located in the western building of the palace. With its elongated proportions, this interior resembles a gallery, and six large glazed windows-doors located on three sides, give it similarity with an open elegant park pavilion. Here, the words of A. Benua, who compared the Chinese Palace "in its purely musical effect ... with Hydena and Mozart Sonatas, perceived. The hall of the Muses that keeps his original finish belongs to the number of the most significant palace interiors of the XVIII century.

In the XVIII century, the Museum Hall was named the "picturesque gallery", which corresponded to the dominant role of painting in his decoration. Temperal paintings of the painter-decorator S. Torelli cover walls and holly, and the shape of the work of the same Master "Venus and Grazi" ("Celebration of Venus"), made by oil, crowns. Small compositions on the hollows and the ceiling, written by light paints, alternate with a light ornamental smearing. All decorative design of the hall of the music is subject to a single artistic plan that gives this amazing interior a harmonious appearance.

Among the furniture decoration, the hall is especially noteworthy, carved gilded banquettes, made in the drawings of A. Rinaldi and designed specifically for this interior. Here you can see a variety of items from the Chinese and Japanese porcelain, as well as a marble sculpture "Boy on Dolphin" - Masterfully made in the middle of the XIX century a copy from the work of the Italian sculptor of the XVI century Lorenzo Lorenzetto, in turn Sending us to the drawing of Rafael, who was inspired this work. On the sides of one of the doors, marble busts of Lucretia and Cleopatra of Venetian work of the XVIII century were installed.

The most famous event that happened in the Hall of the Muses can be called a magnificent celebration on the occasion of arrival in Russia in 1818 by the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III, "I had to bless the cradle of my newborn grandson," the future of Emperor Alexander II. July 2, 1818 in this hall "After Fireworks, Dan was a brilliant ball." Next to the hall of Muz is the blue living room, connecting the halls of the front abrasion with the rooms of Pavel Petrovich. Until the mid-1860, the living room was tightened with blue silk, thanks to which he received its name. At the same time, the interior appeared the canvas, performed by the Russian artist A. Beideman: two canvas with images of Amurov - with a horn of abundance and grape brush, as well as free copies from the Hermitage originals - a fragment "Madonna with partridges" A. Van Dequee and "Abduction of Europe" F. Albani. Brushes Beijman attributed to the big author's work "Triton and Neret", which makes the walls of the wall around the fireplace; However, this composition cannot be attributed to the creative luck of the famous artist, since it lack expressiveness and dynamics. The blue living room is richly decorated with painting XVIII century. The ceiling is decorated with a flanfer of the Italian artist Francesco Tsuno "Time, kidding truth", which also has the second name - "Time and Knowledge". Like a number of other palafones of the palace, the work of Tsuno is a typical example of allegorical, with an abstract plot, compositions, very popular in the XVIII century. The artist unfolds with us a dynamic abduction scene, in the center of which two figures are depicted - a strong, muscular winged elder, personifying time and its frequency, and a woman representing the truth (or knowledge). The attribute of the elder is the braid lying at his feet, and the woman holds a circular in his hands. Amphitrite and Neptune, Amphitrite and Neptune, Ya. Guarana and the Italian Landscape, F. Tsukarelli; Over the mirror - the painting "Two Amur" brushes of an unknown artist.

Diverse presented in the blue living room of decorative and applied arts - Maissen porcelain, French watches of the XVIII century, carved gilded furniture of the 1760s of the work of Russian masters. Pardoughe and ceiling, parquet set on a palm background, an exquisite fireplace coming to us a genuine view of the seating area of \u200b\u200bthe XVIII century.

The magnificent glass office preceding the large hall is rightfully considered to be a global masterpiece of the art of the interior. This brilliant Rococo style sample is primarily famous for its glass panels. Twelve handmade panels are presumably made according to the drawings of S. Barotzi in 1762-1764 by nine craftswomen: Anna Andreva, Avdota Loginova, Tatyana and Lucker Kuús, Praskovy, Matrey and Avdota Petrov, Cleopter Danilova, Maria Ivanova under the guidance of Franzewoman Marie de Shell , the former actress, who organized the workshop "Sewing for the rooms of Her I. V. Wallpaper and other jacies." The glass was made on the Ust-Ruditsky Mosaic Factory, which was founded by M. V. Lomonosov in the vicinity of Oranienbaum. Embroidered panels with exotic scenery are enclosed in gilded gilded frames of exquisite threads, imitating wood trunks, seized with leaves, flowers and bunches of grapes and topped with dragons figures. If you remember that initially the floor in the office was dialed out of smalt (colored glass tiles), made on Ust-Ruditsky Factory, then it is easy to present the created effect of an extraordinary fabulous extravagania painted by the eastern flavor. The initial unusual finish of the floor gave the office the second name - "mosaic peace." Work on the set of mosaic floors, which began in 1763, lasted four years. Head of the works of J. Martini on December 12, 1767 reported on their end: "Masaic floors available in Oranienbaum are readiness and in place are posted, and the workshops from that work are not found."

Catherine II, with pride showing the palace to his guests, especially highlighted the glass office, who had, according to the expression of that era, "Preserisy View". The Empress often took high visitors here: Thus, on July 27, 1774 "In the room that the glass wallpaper took on the audience of Cesar (Austrian. - Yu. M.) Ambassador of Prince Lobkovich."

By the middle of the XIX century, the mosaic floor was in disrepair, and in 1856 it was replaced with a typical parquet, however, and in a new material retained the previous picture.

Two genuine masterpiece of decorative and applied arts are stored in the glass office - unique tables performed at the Peterhofa granite factory under the leadership of Master Jacob Martini. Countertops with wavy edges are decorated with the most complex compositions scored from non-ferrous Lomonosov Schail; Even underlying and legs of these elegant tables are decorated with a smalt orange. The table top of one of them is a landscape composition framed by a geometric ornament: a narrow pyramid resembling park obelisks, surrounded by fragments of the ruins of ancient structures. On the other table with amazing accuracy depicted geographic Maps, notes, books, compass, globe.

The big hall, the central premises of the palace, in the documents of the XVIII century, also referred to as the receiving, round, oval or just hall. Decorated in the spirit of solemn upness, it was intended for official receptions and trapes. Most visits to their own cottage Catherine II ended with dinner in the Big Hall. The recordings about this "are often found in a championship journal: how, on July 19, 1769" ... at 10 o'clock EVI (her imperial majesty. Yu. M.) deigned to eat evening dishes in the circular hall in which they were delivered in four corners. .. on the table, there were 8 persons on tickets for each of the tickets. "Among the" Persons "then were Austrian, Prussian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch Messengers, English Ambassador, Saxon Minister, as well as their spouse and close to the Empress Cannoda. 27 July 1774, the Empress "I pledged to hand in the hall ... foreign ministers," and then a solemn dinner of ZZ "Four round tables" was held with the participation of diplomats, which was in honor of the conclusion of the Kychuk-Kainardzhi world, which was sent by Russia's victory in the Russian-Turkish War 1768-1774.

Unlike other premises of the palace, the interior of the Big Hall carries the features of a new style - classicism - and anticipates the subsequent interiors created by Rinaldi in St. Petersburg, Tsarskoye Selo, Gatchina. The appearance of this parade hall of strict and magnifying it, its decor is sophisticated-noble and laconic. Walls and three-solid Corinth columns are decorated with artificial marble of different shades. The large lounge is blocked by a low dome, cutting round windows - lumbers, which serve as a source of natural light. Through large doors, glazed to the floor, a picturesque view of the partner garden and a meadow, passing to the park.

The eastern part of the Card Anflad Palace opens the plastering peace (called the lilac living room), which retained his primary stucco decoration, which was reflected in the name of the interior. The nature of this cozy room, its size and decorative decoration are significantly different from the solemn large hall, as it was intended for recreation and intimate conversations, which the whole corresponded to his artistic decoration.

It is rich in the picturesque design of plastering rest: on six canvases that adorn his walls and ceiling are depicted by gallant scenes with the participation of mythological and literary heroes. All paintings are devoted to the topic of love and reflect the sublime feelings of heroes. Among them are the work of S. Torelli "Selena and Endimion", which is considered one of the best works of the Italian master. The author of the painting "Aphrodite and Adonis", presented in plastering, was the Italian painter of the XVIII century Pietro Rotary. Even before the arrival of Russia, the artist enjoyed European glory thanks to the many chamber portraits performed by him, similar to those that make up the picturesque decoration of the Palace's portrait room. "Aphrodite and Adonis" - rare in the work of Rotary an example of a large canvas with a complex composition on mythological plot.

Desundeports of plastering rest - "Venus" and "Mars" - also belong to Torelli's brushes. Placed opposite each other, these pictures are plotted with each other: according to myth, Mars, forgetting about military exploits, dwells in love longing, dreaming about Venus. It is known that his niece, a young beautiful native of Bologna, was a simulator who posted the artist. The picturesque F. Tsuno "Orpheus, meeting the sun", who was interpreted by both the "Anthem of Venus", elapsed with the myth of Venus, and as "Anthem Venus": the young man Orpheus, playing at the harp, chants the beauty of the Goddess of Love.

The furniture decoration of plastering rest is carved gilded banquettes and the stools of Russian work of the 1760s, as well as the French Bureau of the Set of Tree of the same time. The living room is decorated with Maisen porcelain groups made in the 1770s in models M.V. Sury. In the set of parquet, made in Figure A. Rinaldi, used red and pink tree, rosewood, palm tree, birch, apple tree.

The style of "Chinese", which was widespread in the art of the palace interior of the XVIII century, received his bright embodiment in the Big and Malse Chinese Palace Cabinets. A peculiar understanding of Russian and European masters of a distant exotic culture was expressed in the architecture and design of a small Chinese office, the penultimate in the Avtilade of the Paradinary Region. Its interior is in a certain contrast with the previous premises of the palace, which leave the impression of stocky, smoothness, calm sophistication because of bright colors and rounded forms. Clear rectangular architectural planes, contrasting, sonorous colors and strict geometric ornaments in combination with an intricate vegetable pattern and finely drawn scenes from Chinese life create a unique look of this interior.

The walls of the cabinet are tightened by recreated along the preserved initial samples of green silk, painted images of exotic birds, butterflies and flowers. China's lacquer furniture and Japan XVIII century corresponds to the nature of the decoration of a small Chinese cabinet: a Japanese wardrobe-secreter of red varnish with painting gold and black lacquer wardrobe with overlaid chasing jewelry made in China.

In the style of "Chinese" in the middle of the XVIII century, Russian masters made a black furniture headset, decorated with oriental ornaments. East China perfectly complements the decorative ensemble of the Cabinet: the fireplace presents the figurines and a vase of the green family of the late XVII century; The console is decorated with a vase XVIII century.

The half of the Chinese Cabinet, made by Maskob Langa in Figure Rinaldi, belongs to the number of the best samples of the set of parquet, both by the wealth of the pattern, and on the brilliant skill of using the shades of the color of various breeds of the tree - the red, pink, black, brown, sandalwood connected here, Ebenic tree, striped nut, lemon, samshet, amaranth, rosewood, birch, apple tree. The parquet includes curly inserts with Chinese hieroglyphs and a skillful image of a low vase with a branch of a flowering fruit tree. The wall contains a picturesque portrait of "Catherine II in front of the mirror", the author's repetition of the Swedish artist Vigilius Erixen. Cabinet is crowned by a ceiling of the city of Ditiani - the allegorical image "Fortification".

A small Chinese office in the XVIII century also had a second name - preside in, as he precedes the bedroom of Catherine II - Chinese crowd, which opened a small (Western) enfilade of her chambers. The Chinese felling also belongs to the brilliant samples of the "Shinozri" style ("Chinese"). The walls tightened by white atlas in the late 1760s - early 1770s were painted in the "Chinese taste" by the masters Fedor Vlasov, Fedor Danilov (who became academician of painting) and Yakim Gerasimov; Murals are finely harmonized with the solution of a slap, adorning the flower. The "graceful decorative fantasy of the XVIII century" called A. Benua Plafof "Chinese sacrifice", performed by Ya. Guarana, - a peculiar theatrical composition that the beauty of the drawing and the wealth of color is distinguished.

Large Chinese Cabinet, or "Chinese Gallery", - Interior, Symmetrical Hall of Muz, - Closes the Palace's Paradinary Anfilad from the West. The unusually spectacular and peculiar appearance of this hall is determined by the fact that Rococo style elements here are bizarrectically intertwined with the eastern motifs.

The ceiling of a large Chinese cabinet is decorated with a picturesque flanfer representing the allegorical image of the "Union of Europe and Asia", which is interpreted as a "Chinese wedding"; It is considered by S. Barotzi. On the sides of the Plafon - the images of Chinese rulers, Bogdyman and Boggy, made in the Gypsum Main Base Technique. Carved oriental ornaments, stucco images of birds and dragons on the hollows enrich the decorative palette of the decoration of this unique hall, the author of which is S. Barotzi.

The walls of a large Chinese Cabinet are decorated with a set of wooden panels made in the Marquetry technique. Mosaic made of thin plates of different breeds of wood depicts gallant scenes from the life of the Chinese on the background of water and mountains, pagodas and arbors, flowering trees hanging shoots and flying birds. These compositions are not solved spatially, but flat, in accordance with the canons of Chinese painting; Their plots should be read from top to bottom. Panels are composed of several tree breeds - Karelian birch, amaranth, rosewoman, Persian walnut, Samshatt, Maple, Pear, Apple, Chinars; Faces of people and leaves of trees are filled from a walrus. These unique compositions of the Masters team led by G. Stodmär have been created. It is equally exotic and a set of cabinet parquet from more than ten wood species, made in 1773 by I. Petersen. It is known that for the manufacture of parquets in this and other premises of the Chinese Palace in 1771 it was from "... the store office of the building released twenty types of overseas wood."

As you know, in the second half of the XVIII century, an intensive influx of the subjects of Far Eastern art continued, which was filled with special halls and cabins of country palaces. By order of Catherine II, a special caravan in 1762 and 1775 was sent to China, from where to decorate the Chinese palace, mostly a large Chinese office, furniture - tables, cabinets, screen, and porcelain, trays, wallpapers were brought. A variety of Cabinet furnishings include Chinese black varnish chairs with a golden ornament, Japanese cabinets of black lacquer with painting and chasing, boxes and boxes of red and black varnish, a wooden sculpture - the images of the God Show Blue and Goddess Si Vantum, bronze with the enamel of the smokers - traditional Chinese items Exports, almost a mandatory element of the "Eastern" interiors. Foundations are presented with refined Chinese and Japanese porcelain vases.

A large Chinese Cabinet used Catherine II for card games, a big lover of which she was. A records like the one that was made on July 28, 1774 are often found in the Camera magazine: "... I am played to the cards in the Chinese corner corner on 6 tables." Ambassadors of Spain, Prussia, Sweden, Saxony, France, England, Denmark and Cesarian (Austria), Heir Pavel Petrovich with his wife, Prince A. M. Golitsyn, A. A. Vyazemsky, Graphs G. G. . Orlov, N.I. Panin, Z. G. Chernyshev, A. K. Razumovsky.

Small Affilade Empress Catherine II, in addition to Chinese, is a chamber of chamber and portrait. The chamber-fleece adorn the magnificent images of the court ladies of the "small" (grand permanent) yard presented in the masquerade costumes and the personiform seasons, parts of the world and the elements. These eleven portraits do not claim psychological depths, but performed by the liveliness, their heroines are Milovoids and coquettes. The author of these works is the French artist Jean de Sampua (Sansua), who came to Russia in 1755. The images are made in the complex pastel technology - as they spoke in the XVIII century, "dry paints". The cold gamut of silver, blue, pale pink tones allows you to transfer the sophistication of young ladies who made up the heir to the heir to the throne of Peter Fedorovich and his wife Catherine Alekseevna (future Empress Catherine II). The portraits were ordered by Spsua, reported in the letter of Catherine Alekseevna, English Ambassador Charles Williams on September 17, 1756.

Initially pastel portraits were in Big (Menshikovsky) Palace Oranienbaum. In 1820, they were renovated ("corrected") in the Imperial Hermitage, and also produced black with the gilding frame. Only in 1853 the paintings took their current place: Architect L. Bonstedt introduced them to the chamber of the chamberunfer, moved the walnut panels, previously drawn up its walls, in the Boudo on half of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich.

In the chamberunfer, parquet, made by masters Ya Langom and I. Petersen in the 1770s; Its set is made of palm, birch, walnut, chinars, rosewood, maple, amaranth, red and rosewood.

The main decoration of the room called portrait, or the Rotary Cabinet, are twenty-two female portrait of the work of the Italian artist Pietro Rotary. This master of salon painting created hundreds of chamber portraits, many of which acquired Catherine II for its country palaces. Small paintings are mounted in a portrait wall and are associated with decorative molding ornaments. On shallow content, but the elegant and pleasing eyes of fashionable pictures depicts women's semi-phigures and heads.

Small Anfilad of Personal Region Catherine II ends with its office. A writing table made in France in the middle of the XVIII century, as well as part of the middle of the XIX century headset, made in the forms of Rinaldievska furniture, make up the decoration of this room. Here for a long time was kept a small personal library of northern seminimis, as the Russian philosophers called the Russian empress. In 1792, the books were transported to St. Petersburg, to the Winter Palace.

The Chinese palace is located in the southwestern part of the upper park. The Palace is spread by a glade with flower beds, and age-old oaks serve as side sides and background for him. In the XVIII century, the park was resolved in a regular French style, and the pool of proper geometric shape was "entered" in his composition. By the middle of the XIX century, the nature of the park plant has changed: the layout has become free, and the top park acquired a romantic appearance. The reservoir turned into a pond, and his shores took a softer outline.

As the Museum, the Chinese Palace opened in 1922. During the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 Soviet troops defended "Oranienbaum Piglet", which did not allow the German army to occupy Oranienbaum. Damage caused by war did not distort the appearance of his monuments, and the skillful skill of the restorers only emphasized their highest artistic advantages. In the summer of 1946, the Chinese palace first among other historical and artistic facilities Oranienbaum received visitors. In 1983, the State Museum-Reserve was created, which included three ensemble - Big (Menshikovsky) Palace with the Lower Garden, Peterstadt and their own cottage. In 1990, due to its uniqueness, these art objects were made by UNESCO to the World Wide List cultural heritage mankind.

Today in Oranienbaum, in addition to the Chinese palace, a large palace, Palace of Peter III Pavilion Catalon, "Stone Hall", Chinese cuisine. Acquaintance with these monuments provides a unique opportunity to feel the atmosphere of past times and join the priceless artistic heritage, world and Russian. In the coming years, significant restoration works are planned, which will allow Oranienbaum to meet his three hundred anniversary.

Marble

Amur and Psyma
XVIII century
Copy from ancient original II century BC.
Marble

Three Graces
Unknown sculptor. France
First half of the XIX century
A copy of the marble group of J.Pilon, made for the tombstone of King Heinrich II XVI century
Bronze

And she
Unknown sculptor. Italy
XVIII century
A copy of the works of L.lotto (Lorentzetto). XVI century
Marble

Today, St. Petersburg is known to the world due to the magnificent historical, cultural and architectural monuments. Many of them several centuries ago were built at all in the city. The chic surroundings of the northern capital among tourists are of great interest. Today you will learn about the Chinese Palace in Lomonosov. Ensemble hours, his address, historical information and other useful information - All this will be presented in the article.

Lomonosov's city, or, as he was called before, Oranienbaum, located 40 kilometers from St. Petersburg. It is in this place that the beautiful reserve museum is located, where architectural masterpieces belonging to XVIII century. Going to an excursion to Oranienbaum and the Chinese Palace with us.

Historical information

On the shore of the Gulf, once the nearest assistant Peter the Great - Alexander Danilovich Menshikov. It was in this place that he wanted to build his country residence, as the pictorial lands and the Finnish bay made a vast impression on him. After some time, a large palace appeared on this territory. He eclipsed with his luxury even the Palace of Peter the Great, who at that time was built in Peterhof. Next to the big palace of Menshikov was a beautiful lower garden. But it so happened that in 1727 Mr. Menshikov was sent by the emperor to the link.

Thus, all his property, as well as the palace-park ensemble in Oranienbaum, were transferred to the state.

Many years later, namely in 1743, daughter Peter, Empress Elizabeth, gave this palace to his nephew, who a little later became famous for the whole world as Emperor Peter III.

The new owner gave orders to build an ensemble called "Peterstadt". It includes the palace, as well as the fortress.

With the coming to power, Ekaterina Great in the suburbs started the next stage of construction. The sovereign gave an order to build a summer residence in this place. Then in these lands also appeared beautiful palace called "own cottage".

Palace of Prince Menshikova

As was written above, the first owner of the palace-park ensemble in Oranienbaum was Prince Menshikov. Contemporaries wrote that there is no equal palace in the Russian Empire on Square and Luxury. But not in vain the Palace of Prince Menshikov is called great. The thing is that the monumental palace looks due to the location on the hill. It seems the impression as if the Chinese palace pararit over the ground. The terrace goes down the facade. One-story wings on the left and right side are adjacent to the main building. These extensions are completed by the eastern and church pavilions. Kitchen, as well as Freintsky Flygeli attached to them.

Peter III put his hand to the palace interior. So, the Eastern Pavilion has accumulated two hundred items of Japanese and Chinese porcelain in his interior. Therefore, this residence began to call the Chinese palace in Oranienbaum.

A few words about the palace

Let's start with the fact that this beautiful residence was built for 6 years. She was erected in 1768 by the project of the famous architect XVIII century Antonio Rinaldi. The middle of this century is the most important period in the construction of the Chinese Palace of Catherine Great. Rinaldi (Italian in origin) was invited to Russia by Prince K. Razumovsky. Here the architect has lived for many years. In his memoirs, he wrote that in Russian land he gained the second homeland.

Looking at the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum, tourists recognize him as a masterpiece of Russian architecture. This palace is unique. Therefore, it deserves a special study.

Name Chinese palace conditionally. The architecture of the building has nothing to do with China. However, some rooms have decorative Chinese elements that can be freely interpreted. In the period of the XVIII century, a large collection of Chinese porcelain was collected in the palace, part of the collection items was preserved today.

Architectural elements of the palace

The Chinese Palace (SPB) is medium in size, has a little elongated building. Outwardly resembles a summer pavilion in the park. Today, it is surrounded by low panels from stone slabs, as well as a beautiful decorative cast iron grid.

Little partner gardens broken in front of the facade. They appropriately fit into the overall composition of the construction and on the plan of the architect Rinaldi became an integral element of the palace. A huge ancient oaks that were planted with the building were also played with this role.

Thus, it seems that the oaks are associated with a Chinese palace with a large park. The central part of the Palace is overstated. Its facial side is decorated with pilasters, and the doors and windows framed stucco.

Perestroika XIX century

According to Prince Menshikov and Catherine Great, the Chinese palace was one-story. The central part on the second floor had one or two rooms that did not have decorations. But in the middle of the XIX century, the appearance of the building changes. The second floor appears. Perestroika takes place under the leadership of A. Perektenshneera. After some time, to the eastern part of the building, he adds an extension in the form of one room. This is a large anticammer adjacent to the hall of the music.

It will take several years and in 1853 L. Bonstedt sets a building to the West wing - another room, and also reconstructs the central part of the southern facade. This will appear a glazed gallery.

Internal architecture of the palace

The Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum (St. Petersburg) was built in such a way that the volumes, appearance, as well as the proportions of individual parts of the building determined the placement of internal premises. Each room had its purpose.

It should be noted that all the palaces of the period were built precisely on this principle. The palace is characterized by symmetry and compositional balance. Interiors, that is, the rooms are located on one axis. This principle of construction is called the annefuelic system. She is inherent in the Ekaterininsky Palace, Peterhof and other imperial residences.

According to the architect, the center of symmetry is a large hall whose height reaches 8.5 meters. These front halls have another name - Italian. They perform the organizing residence planning function. On the left and right of the Big Hall are blue and lilac living rooms, and there are two cabinets - glass and small Chinese. On the one hand, Anfilad is limited to the museum chamber, and on the other - a large Chinese office.

Features of the elements of the architecture of the palace

The Chinese palace in Lomonosov was built in the period when domestic architecture was at the stage of transition from one manner to another. Those decorative techniques that were used in the middle of the XVIII century have ceased to be in demand, and the folding classicism has not yet been formed in the art of architecture.

Thus, the facial side of the facade of the palace has become a vivid example of this period. Initially, it was planned to give her decorativeness and pomp. However, these qualities gave way to the conciseness and simplicity of the artistic finish. After all, the classicism is characterized by rigor and simplicity. The Chinese palace was erected by a skillful masters of those times: layers and gilds, mosaicists and parquetrs, marbleders, as well as wood cutters and other talented artisans.

After the revolution (in 1917), the Chinese palace turned into a museum. He was discovered for everyone. During these years, it became possible to conduct a scientific substantiated restoration, as well as to begin competent storage of the artistic values \u200b\u200bof the palace. In the period from 1925 to 1933. Artists conducted a large-scale work on restoring decorative painting.

Unique parquet

The pictures of the Chinese palace are often found in glossy magazines of Russia. But his gorgeous decoration worries researchers of Russian art even abroad. That is why we will tell you what the uniqueness of the parquet floor of the museum is.

The thing is that 772 square meters of the Palace Square were posted by parquet, which was collected from both domestic and overseas wood. These include pink, lemon, black, red wood, as well as marshute, amaranth, rosewood, Persian walnut and many other species. In some races, researchers have more than 15 species.

The Parquet of the Chinese Palace is very appreciated, since in their plan and the manner of fulfillment in our country he has no equal. It turns out that wooden planks were glued to separate shields in the form of various patterns. Then minor parts to the ornament were burned or cut out. Each room had its own interior, so the picture of the parquet tied to the overall concept of the room.

Lower garden Palace

And we leave the luxurious Cabinets of the Chinese Palace and go to the Summer Residence Park Catherine Great. The lower garden is a benchmark of garden-park art. He entered the park complex of the Big Palace. In the center of it there are grounds with a lot of rare colors. He is surrounded by rows of slender maples, fir trees and lip. Gardeners landed various fruit trees, their number entered cherries, apple trees, pears and so on. By tradition, the garden is decorated with miniature fountains and sculptures from white marble.

Coordinates and mode of operation of the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum

Address: Lomonosov city, upper park 7.

Casses work in mode: from 10:30 to 17:00

Time to visit the complex: 10:30 - 18:00 h.

The cost of the ticket for adults is 500 rubles.

Ticket price for schoolchildren and students - 300 rubles.

Free entrance for veterans of the Great Patriotic War and other categories of persons.

Remember that the doors of the palace for visitors are open only in dry and sunny day.

Finally

We met with one of the most beautiful residences, which was erected during the reign of Peter the Great, that is, more than three hundred years ago. Sights of Oranienbaum are affected by everyone. They surprise visitors not only by beauty and scale, as well as what they keep the spirit of past eras in their walls.