Massandra Palace (Alexander III Palace)

About a hundred years ago, another palace, unusual in its architectural forms and in amazing harmony with the surrounding picturesque landscape of the foothill part of Massandra, fit into the south-bank necklace of beautiful palace and park ensembles: on March 22, 1902, a special commission appointed by the Department of Departures took the Palace of Alexander III here after construction was completed. The fate of this palace is dramatic. It was laid back in 1880, when the huge Massandra estate was part of the vast south-bank estates of the heirs of the governor-general of the Novorossiysk Territory, count, and later the most prominent prince Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov (1782-1856). Then the palace was completed and decorated for Emperor Alexander III (1845-1884). Despite the fact that the emperor never managed to see the palace in its complete form, in all the brilliance of its decorative decoration, at the request of his son, Nicholas II, the construction of the palace was completed and in memory of his father his name was preserved behind the palace. Even before the construction of the palace, traveling in the XIX century in the Crimea, noted that "all the beauty is in Upper Massandra" and advised to visit it. The palace, surrounded by rich and luxurious vegetation, became another attraction of the southern coast, enthusiastically perceived by all who managed to visit it. After the nationalization of the palace in the years of Soviet power, the vineyards, gardens and wine cellars of Massandra were transferred to the Yuzhsovkhoz, and the park to the city. In the palace from 1929 to 1941. housed a sanatorium for seriously ill with tuberculosis, in 1946 it was for a short time settled the research Institute of viticulture and winemaking "Magarach", and then for many years - from 1947 to 1989 the palace was used as a state dacha. On June 1, 1992, the palace opened as a museum. It became a branch of the Alupka State Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. To create the exposition, works of painting, graphics, photographic materials, furniture and decorative and applied arts corresponding to the style features of the palace were selected here. Some of the exhibits once belonged to the imperial family and were on their south-bank estates. Some of the works came to Alupka in the 20-30s from the State Museum Fund and the largest museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The exposition includes items related to the artistic image of the palace, the history of its existence, with the functional purpose of its interiors. When creating the exposition, the staff of the Alupka Palace-Museum tried to recreate the interiors of the palace as accurately as possible according to the plan of the architect Mesmacher and make them as they could be during the life of the Romanovs. The museum introduces the art of the palace interior of the second half of the XIX century. The rich decorative decoration of the palace premises allowed to create such an exposition. According to the fashion of that time, elements of a variety of styles were used in the decoration of the interiors of the palace. The architect used different types of wood - oak, nut, maple, redwood. Halls and corridors were decorated with colorful tiles, all doors are real panels, typed by intarsia or in wood burning technique. Painted and stucco ceilings, carved panels, marble fireplaces in combination with red and yellow copper, stained glass windows, painting on glass - all this made up a magnificent dress of rooms, each of which the architect gave his own expressive artistic image corresponding to a particular era of French architecture: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism. The harmony that is achieved in their artistic design creates a special atmosphere of coziness and comfort, home warmth. Going from one room to another, you get to the strict reception room of the emperor, then to his solemn office, then to the intimate bedchamber or to the elegant and festive living room of the Empress. In the design of the palace, perhaps, to some extent affected the tastes of the customer - Alexander III. This large, tall man, who was often called "Russian hero", according to contemporaries, felt better not in large front rooms, but in small cozy rooms. He, who loved everything Russian, liked wood finishing: it caused associations with Russian chopped huts. Messmacher tried to use different materials and different artistic techniques in the decor of the rooms to satisfy the aesthetic taste of the emperor. One of the art historians says this about the artistic preferences of Alexander III: "Despite the fact that in domestic and foreign historiography the image of this emperor was formed as a tough, conservative person, he nevertheless possessed wide artistic tastes and preferences: he played musical instruments, loved theater, was an amateur artist, took painting lessons (his mentor was Alexei Petrovich Bogolyubov). Alexander III collected works of art, visited almost all art exhibitions, wrote magazines on art. He had a special interest in ceramics and painting, mainly modern, giving preference to the works of artists of the Russian, Danish and French schools. Only the works of the famous Karl Bryullov in his collection were over 30. In his collection there were many works by Ayvozovsky, Bogolyubov, Vasnetsov, Tropinin, Repin, Venetsianov and many other Russian artists of the first and second half of the XIX century. Shortly before his death, when his painting collection already numbered about one thousand works, he decided to establish in St. Petersburg, following the example of P. M. Tretyakov, a museum of Russian art and transfer to it from his collection the works of Russian masters. The famous Russian artist and art critic Alexander Benois assesses this activity of Alexander III: Since the Tretyakov Gallery in the 70s and 80s became known to the wider public, the sympathies of enthusiasts of Russian art have categorically appealed to it. The center of gravity of Russian art moved to Moscow. Emperor Alexander III wished to restore St. Petersburg to its former artistic significance and at the same time to present Russian society with such a repository for all departments of our culture that would correspond to the influence and significance of Russia. By a number of very significant and valuable acquisitions he made up the St. Petersburg meetings and outlined the basic provisions for the establishment of the St. Petersburg Assembly. quite independent and grandiose museum of Russian culture and in particular Russian art. On April 13, 1895, the now reigning Emperor Nicholas II issued a decree on the establishment of such a repository in St. Petersburg in memory of the “concerns of the late Emperor about the beloved Motherland”. In 1898, the Museum of Russian Art of Emperor Alexander III received its first visitors (now the State Russian Museum). Approximately one-third of the paintings that made up the first exhibition of the museum were transferred from the collection of Alexander III. Among them are the paintings that became the pride of Russian art: "Portrait of Countess Samoilova returning from the ball" Bryullov, "Conquest of Siberia by Yermak" Surikov, "Christ and the Sinner" Polenov, "To War" Savitsky, "Guitarist" Tropinin, "Oaks" Shishkin, "Silent" Dubosky, author's repetitions "Thaw" Vasilyev, "Svatovodor" and many others. During the life of Alexander III, his picturesque collection was placed in all the royal palaces: Alexander (Tsarskoye Selo), Anichkov, Winter, Gatchina, in Cottage (Peterhof), in Spala (Poland), in Belovezh (Belarus). He also wanted to fill the Massandra Palace with paintings. But this, unfortunately, remained only in the projects of Mesmacher. In the archival documents we read: "in the billiard room 17 hooks for paintings", in the office of His Majesty - 14. After the unexpected death of Alexander III, some not only construction, but also finishing works were canceled: they did not have time to make furniture and other utensils, the upholstery fabric designed to tighten the walls remained unused, a tapestry was not made for the empress's office and a picture of tiles for her bathroom, the third floor, intended for children, did not receive decorative design. But even in this form, the palace is of great interest.