Chinese whims of the Russian Empress

The Catherine Palace and Park are named after the wife of Peter I, but they were the favorite resting place of Catherine II. During her reign, many changes were made to the interiors of the palace, and to the decoration of the Tsarskoye Selo parks. The Empress was a fashionista - the position obliges. And fashion comes from Europe. In the XVIII century in London, the Grand Pagoda is erected, in the vicinity of Stockholm, the king builds a Chinese village, the Chinese house appears in the Potsdam Palace of Sanssouci. I want to build something unusual in Russia in this spirit.

 

Read in Wikipedia: "Shinouazri, Shinoazeri" (from the French chinois - Chinese), or Chinese - the use of motifs and stylistic techniques of medieval Chinese art in European painting, decorative and applied arts, costume, in the design of garden and park ensembles of the XVIII century. "

 

This violin gazebo in Catherine Park, was built according to the project of architect Y.M. Felten in the 1780s. Its roof is topped with a long flagpole with a weather vane carved from tin. The weather vane rotates with a creak - hence the name of the pavilion.

 

Isn’t it strange among Russian firs and birches to suddenly stare into such a funny foreign toy, fun, whim? Yes, caprice is also an architectural term.

Again, in order not to look far, look at at hand, in Wikipedia: "Caprice or folly (from English. folly - quirk, whim) - a small building or other architectural object, usually used in palace and park ensembles, as well as in the modern urban environment. It is usually a funny or extravagant building or a building intended for purposes other than those indicated by its design or appearance.”

 

In the parks of Tsarskoye Selo there are two buildings, just so called: Caprices. Little Caprice and Big Caprice. These are artificially formed mounds with arched spans over the road separating Catherine and Alexander Parks. And the road, accordingly, is called the Podkaprize Alley. The architectural plan of the Big and Small Caprices belonged to V. I. Neelov, who, together with the engineer and architect I. Gerard, erected them in 1770-1774. Here's a picture of the Big Caprice:

 

And not far from the Great Capriza is a real Chinese village: 10 houses and a pagoda (observatory). Architects C. Cameron, I. V. Neelov (the idea and initial project of the ensemble, according to many researchers, belongs to A. Rinaldi). Now the Chinese village is in excellent condition, every dragon has been restored, every intricate detail of decoration. But, alas, it will not be possible to wander around the village: here are the guest houses of the diplomatic department.

 

A Chinese village.

 

Not far from the Chinese village was the Chinese theater. Alas, I say, it was because only ruins remained of it. The interior of the Chinese Theatre was magnificent. The central lodge, the stage portal, the plafond – everything was decorated with Chinese figures, dragons, shields with zodiac signs and other elements of oriental decor. On June 13, 1779, the first performance took place at the Chinese Theatre. Composer D. Paisiello presented to Catherine II the opera “Dmitry Artaxerxes”. On August 16, he performed the opera “Chinese Idol”.

September 15, 1941, during the shelling of the city of Pushkin, the unique structure almost completely burned down, and to this day has not been restored. However, the powerful walls stand, the archives store ancient drawings of the decoration of the building, there are also details of decoration to restore the Chinese theater of Catherine II. At least I want to hope for that.

 

This Cross Bridge was thrown over the Cross Canal in Alexander Park in the 1770s according to the project of V. I. Neelov. The walls of the pavilion are cut through with high pointed windows. The curved “Chinese” roof is painted “under fish scales” and topped with a spire with balls strung on it. Tellingly, the idea of the bridge was borrowed from the popular at that time album of English architects V. and D. Halfpenny “Rural architecture in Chinese Taste”. That's what pervasive fashion means!

 

There are in the Aleksandrovsky Park Tsarskoye Selo and other bridges in the Chinese spirit: the Great Chinese Bridge and the Big Dragon Bridge with such dragons:

 

My advice to the guests of Tsarskoye Selo: having visited Tsarskoye Selo with a mandatory program of visiting the Catherine Park, having finally seen the Amber Room, do not rush to leave this small town. After all, it was once a real summer capital of Russia and, like any capital, has accumulated an immense number of historical and architectural monuments. I think this little note gives an idea of what rich material anyone interested in history, in particular the history of architecture, can find in Tsarskoye Selo.

 

 

 

 

Author: Yermakova Elena Alexandrovna
Personal page of the author: http://www.personalguide.ru/guids/529/632/