Nicholas II

Winter Views of the Alexander Palace and Park

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

The former Imperial palaces of the Russian Imperial Family take on a whole new beauty in the winter months when they are covered and surrounded with a fresh blanket of snow. The favourite residence of Nicholas II and his family, the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo in particular. The elegant Neo-Classical edifice, painted a soft pastel yellow, blend perfectly with the surrounding winter landscape. A glorious sense of peace and tranquility are felt while walking around the palace and park at this time of year.

I have assembled the following collection of photos of the Alexander Palace and Park, all of which evoke a breathtaking Russian winter wonderland. After viewing these images, I am sure that you will agree that it is quite understandable why the Imperial Family so loved this place – PG

PHOTO: The main gate leading into the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo. The gate was installed in 1898, based on the design of the Russian architect (of Italian origin) Silvio Amvrosievich Danini (1867-1942). The view from the street has remained virtually unchanged since the early 20th century.

Following his abdication on 15 March (O.S. 2 March) 1917,”Colonel Romanov” passed through these gates to be reunited with his family. Together, they lived here under house arrest, until their exile to Tobolsk on 1st August of the same year.

PHOTO: A lovely panoramic view which shows the expanse of the Alexander Palace from the opposite side of the pond.

The Alexander Palace was constructed in the town of Tsarskoye Selo, 30 miles south of St. Petersburg. It was commissioned by Empress Catherine II, who reigned 1762–1796, for her favourite grandson, Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich, the future Emperor Alexander, who reigned 1801–1825), on the occasion of his marriage to Grand Duchess Elizaveta Alexeievna (1779-1826), born Princess Luise Marie Augusta of Baden in 1793.

The edifice was constructed between 1792 and 1796, by the foremost and most prolific practitioner of Neoclassical architecture in Imperial Russia, Giacomo Quarenghi (1744-1817). It was agreed that the architect had excelled himself in creating a masterpiece. In 1821, a quarter of a century later, the architect’s son wrote:

ap winter

PHOTO: view of the Eastern Wing (left), where the Private Apartments of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna are located, and the Western Wing (right), which is surrounded by a fence during restoration. This wing of the palace is scheduled to open in 2025. Photo © Inna Stikhareva.

“An elegant building which looks over the beautiful new garden in Tsarskoye Selo, was designed and built by my father at the request of Catherine II, who shaped it with greatest simplicity, combining both functionality with beauty. Its dignified façade, harmonic proportions, and moderate ornamentation are also manifested in its interiors without compromising comfort in striving for magnificence and elegance.”

Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna always loved this palace. After the events of Bloody Sunday in 1905, the August Coupled decided to make it their permanent residence.

During the reign of Nicholas II, the palace underwent many modern upgrades: it was wired for electricity and equipped with a telephone system. In 1899, a hydraulic lift was installed connecting the Empress’ suite with the children’s rooms on the second floor. With the advent of motion pictures in the early 20th century, a screening booth was built in the Semicircular Hall where the family gathered to watch films.

PHOTO: The eastern wing (left) is where the former private apartments of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna are located. The wing was closed in autumn 2015 for an extensive restoration.

Fifteen interiors situated in the eastern wing of the palace, are now scheduled to open to visitors in 2021. Among the recreated interiors are the New Study of Nicholas II, Moorish Bathroom of Nicholas II, Working Study of Nicholas II, Reception Room of Nicholas II, Pallisander (Rosewood) Living Room, Mauve (Lilac) Boudoir, Alexandra’s Corner Reception Room, the Imperial Bedroom, among others. This wing of the palace will become known as the ‘Museum of the Russian Imperial Family’.

PHOTO: Situated facing the Alexander Park are the windows of the Semi-Circular Hall. It is through these doors on 1st August 1917, that the Imperial Family and their retinue departed the Alexander Palace for the last time. They were transported to the Alexandrovsky Station, where an awaiting train took them into exile to Tobolsk in Siberia. It was in Tobolsk that the Imperial Family were held under house arrest in the former Governor’s Mansion – renamed the “House of Freedom” until April 1918, when they were transferred to Ekaterinburg and subsequently murdered by the Bolsheviks on 17th July 1918.

PHOTO: The warm glow from a winter sun simply adds to the beauty of the Alexander Palace surrounded by snow. During the winter months, Nicholas II took time to enjoy outdoor activities with his family. Together, they build snow fortresses, went skating on the ice covered ponds, and partook of sleigh rides through the park, a pastime in which the Empress also participated. In his zest for physical activity, the Tsar was often seen shoveling snow from the paths, chopped ice for the cellar, cut dry branches or old trees, storing firewood for the long, dark and cold winter months.

PHOTO: This aerial view of the Alexander Palace, taken by a drone, shows the size of the building. The photo was taken last year, during the ongoing restoration of the palace. The surrounding park offers pathways leading to the parks numerous pavilions, as well as ponds and canals, which were often used during the summer months by Nicholas II and his children for boating.

The Alexander Palace is within walking distance of the nearby Catherine Palace, which can be seen in the upper left hand corner of the photo above.

PHOTO: The Kitchen Building of the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo. Meals were prepared in this building, and taken to the palace through an underground tunnel.

When the restoration of the palace is completed in 2024, the former Kitchen Building will serve as the main entrance to the multi-museum Alexander Palace complex.

PHOTO: the Children’s Island, which features a tiny house built for the children of Emperor Nicholas I, and later enjoyed by the children of three successive monarchs: Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II. To the left of the house is a small cemetery, where the Tsar buried his favourite dogs. The cemetery has survived to this day.

The island was reached by a pull-ferry, whereby sailors would pull ropes sending the ferry over to the island and back from the park’s shore.

During two winter visits to the Alexander Palace, the author of this article managed to walk across the frozen pond to explore the island, and photograph both the house and the cemetery at close hand.

According to the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum, there are plans to eventually restore the Children’s Island and Pavilion, once funding has been secured.

PHOTO: Just a short walk from the Alexander Palace is the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral, with its beautiful Russian national-style edifice and magnificent interiors, including the Cave Church.

On 2 September (O.S. 20 August) 1909, Emperor Nicholas II laid the first foundation stone for the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral, which later served as the household church of the Imperial Family.

After the 1917 Revolution, the cathedral was closed, it was badly damaged during the Great Patriotic War (1941-44). In 1991 the cathedral was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, restoration of the Cathedral lasted nearly 20 years..

On 17th July 1993, hundreds of Orthodox Christians and monarchists gathered for the official opening and consecration of the first monument to Emperor Nicholas II (seen on the left in the photo) to be established in post-Soviet Russia.

The monument was consecrated on the day marking the 75th anniversary of the murder of Nicholas II, on the grounds of the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral. The monument is the work of St. Petersburg sculptor Victor Vladimirovich Zaiko (born 1944).

PHOTO: A walk through the snow covered Alexander Park at Tsarskoye Selo offers many surprises for visitors. Over the course of the past decade, numerous pavilions have been beautifully restored, including the Sovereign’s Martial Chamber, the Arsenal, the Chapelle, and the White Tower.

In addition, some people may want to visit the gravesite of Grigorii Rasputin (1869-1916). His body was buried on 2 January (O.S. 21 December) 1916, at a small church (has not survived) that Anna Vyrubova (1884-1964) had been building in the Alexander Park. His body was exhumed and burned by a detachment of soldiers shortly after the Tsar abdicated the throne in March 1917.

There are future plans to restore the Children’s Pavilion and Island, the Chinese Theater, the Pension Stable, the Farm as well as the reclamation of the Alexander Park. There are plans to charge for entry to the park, the funds of which will help restore these historic buildings and maintain the grounds, however, this additional cost has yet to be implemented.

370g

PHOTO: western (foreground) and eastern (background) wings of the Alexander Palace

Click HERE to view Summer Views of the Alexander Palace and Park, published on 29th July 2021

The jewel albums of Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

On 16th February 2023, two jewel albums belonging to Grand Duchess Xenia [Ksenia] Alexandrovna [1875-1960] – the eldest sister of Emperor Nicholas II – sold at a Bonhams (Paris) auction for 63,375 Euros [$69,000 USD].

The leather-bound albums were illustrated in watercolours by Xenia herself, and feature her personal collection of jeweellery and bibelots The first album is dated from 24th June 1880 to 1905, and the second album from 12th January 1894 to 25th March 1912. The jewel albums display the Grand Duchess’s exceptional skill with watercolours, a talent perfected from an early age.

When Grand Duchess Xenia Alexanrovna fled Boshevik Russia In April 1919, she had with her two precious jewel albums which she kept until her death in 1960 when they passed to her family. The two lavishly illustrated documents constitute a highly sentimental record of jewellery received between 1880 and 1912. Presented together, the 925 entries provide a fascinating insight into the private wealth of the Romanovs, their personal taste and family relationships. The albums illustrate the manner in which important occasions were marked and offer a crucial link to proving attribution and provenance for so many pieces later gifted, sold on by the Grand Duchess or seized by the Soviet authorities.

Of immense interest to historians, only a small number of select pages of the albums had been published in specialist books, and the albums remained largely private until they were offered at auction by Bonhams New Bond Street in 2011 (Bonham’s London, The Russian Sale, 30 November 2011, lot 155).

The albums themselves have prompted much debate among scholars who have sought to determine the overarching purpose of the tomes. It is notable that pieces the Grand Duchess purchased for herself are not itemised and while the pages are filled with her careful and exact notations, the texts do not emphasize the value of the stones or the name of the fashionable jeweller who had made or sold the piece. Rather, each carefully rendered drawing is usually accompanied by the briefest – and most heartfelt – of statements: “From Mama,” “From Papa,” or “From Sandro” (her husband, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich).

It is little wonder that when the Grand Duchess had to flee revolutionary forces, she chose these books to accompany her. Akin to a photograph album or a journal, the albums acted as an aide-memoire, with each entry recording the generosity of beloved family members who had put every effort into finding pieces of jewellery which reflected the occasion of their presentation. Reciprocally, the Grand Duchess honoured each gift by carefully studying and recording its character with her considerable skill as a watercolourist.

NOTE: this article has been condensed from the original, pubished by Bonhams. Click HERE to read the entire article, and to view more photos from the jewel albums – PG

***

Other Romanov jewel albums

It is interesting to note that according to the art historian, Dr Karen L. Kettering, a third album of Grand Duchess Xenia’s jewels exist, however, the album is in “private hands”. Kettering confirms that she has studied the albums since their sale in 2011.

Between 1889 and 1913 Nicholas II, painted his jewellery in a small album as a private record of his collection. In 1992, curator Tatiana Muntian announced that the Kremlin Archives had since 1922 held Nicholas II’s Jewel Album. In 1997 The Jewel Album of Nicholas II was published in full by Alexander von Solodkoff and Irina Bogatskaya, in a handsome clothbound edition with slipcase. It has since become a highly sought after collector’s item by those who share an interested in the life of Russia’s last Tsar.

It was also revealed that the Kremlin Archives also contained a jewellery album Empress Alexandra Fedorovna kept of pieces she had selected for family and friends.

In 1992, Sotheby’s Book and Manuscript Department in New York sold a jewel notebook that had been kept for several years by Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Younger.

Prompted by these discoveries, additional research was conducted in the Archives of Wolfsgarten Castle in Germany, where Empress Alexandra Feodorovna had spent part of her childhood, revealing a fifth jewel album her brother Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig had kept.

Training in drawing and watercolour was considered essential for the upbringing of any young lady or gentleman of distinction and most of the Romanov Grand Dukes and Duchesses were quite competent artists.

The discovery of these jewel albums continues to raise the question – are their others? How many other grand dukes and grand duchesses embraced the hobby of recording their personal collection of jewels in handsome leather albums?

Private collectors in Russia, Europe and even the United States as well as those of the now defunct royal houses of Europe, continue to find Romanov treasures lost or forgotten in old trunks, safes, and dusty shelves. Let us hope that other jewel albums surface from among their collections.

My Nicholas II blog marks 5th anniversary and 1 million hits

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

Today – 22nd January – marks the 5th anniversary of the launch of my blog NICHOLAS II. EMPEROR. TSAR. SAINT, dedicated to clearing the name of Russia’s much slandered monarch.

Over this past weekend, my blog marked a major milestone, as the numbeer of hits it has received over the last 5 years sur[assed the 1 MILLION mark!

To date, I have researched, written and published more than 700 articles on my blog, making it the largest English-language site dedicated to the study of the life and reign of Russia’s last Tsar. My articles are based primarily on new research from Russian archival and media sources.

My Nicholas II blog also features more than 2,000 photographs, including historic black and white photos of Nicholas II, his family and Imperial Russia. These are complemented with contemporary colour photos of palace restorations, exhibitions, and much more. My blog also features more than 100 videos, ranging from vintage newsreels, documentaries and full length films,

In addition, I announce and promote new books on Nicholas II and the Romanov dynasty by other authros, as well as books which I have researched and written, as well as the recent relaunch of my popular semi-annual magazine SOVEREIGN.

Please note, that proceeds from the sale of books from my ROMANOV BOOKSHOP on AMAZON help support my research, including the cost of translating documents from Russian archival and media sources.

Take advantage of the search engine on my blog. Please refer to the ‘SEARCH‘ option located at the ottom of the page, which will allow you to explore nearly 200 categories. Or you can scroll down further to review the list of categories found on this blog.

In closting, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have followed and supported my work over the past 5 years. I look forward to bringing you many more full-length articles, news stories, photos and videos, on Nicholas II and his family, the Romanov dynasty, and the history of Imperial Russia for many more years to come,

Livadia Palace hosts new exhibit dedicated to the family of Nicholas II

Posted on January 20, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

On 14th January 2024, with the blessing of His Eminence Tikhon, Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea, the photo exhibition The Tsar’s Family. Love and Mercy, opened at the Livadia Palace in Crimea.

The exhibition presents more than 100 vintage photographs that tell about the close relationship within the family of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II. The photographs reflect many aspects of the life of the Tsar’s family during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the upbringing of the children, and the warm and loving relationship, which they shared with both their parents and each other.

In addition, the photo exhibition also shows the Tsar’s Family’s dedication to acts of charity and their service to the Fatherland, and a wonderful example of Russian family traditions and unshakable spiritual values.

The rector of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, Archpriest Dimitry Gotskalyuk, in his welcoming speech noted the special symbolic and cultural significance of the photo project for Crimea. For many decades, the inhabitants of the blessed land of Taurida have revered the Holy Royal Martyrs as the patron saints of the family. The life of the Imperial Family is not only an example of service to people and the Fatherland, but also an example of Russian family traditions and unshakable spiritual values.

The photo exhibition is a joint project of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross [the Imperial family’s church adjacent to the Livadia Palace], and the Livadia Palace State Museum, with the support of the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow.

The photo project The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The travelling exhibition has already been presented in Serbia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic. The exhibition has also been presented in many cities of Russia: Moscow, Voronezh, Kursk, Ryazan, Penza, Krasnodar, Belgorod, Velikiye Luki, etc.

The exhibition runs until 19th May 2024, in the Music Salon of the Livadia Palace

*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Outdoor photo-exhibit dedicated to the family of Nicholas II opens in Penza

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

On 20th December 2023, an outdoor photo-exhibition dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family opened near the Spassky Cathedral in Penza. Penza is the second Russian city after Moscow, where these unique photographs are presented to the general public in an outdoor setting.

The travelling exhibition The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy was previously held near the Sretensky Monastery in central Moscow from 16th October 2023 to 16th November 2023.

The Penza exhibit opened in a tree-lined alley located between the Spassky Cathedral and the Penza Diocesan Administration Building. Most of the photographs presented at the exhibition are dedicated to the participation of the Imperial Family II in matters of charity and service to others and the Fatherland.

Of particular note are selected photographs dedicated to the service of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and the Grand Duchesses as nurses in infirmaries and hospitals during the First World War.

The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy photo project was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The creator of the project, a resident of the Sretensky Monastery, Hieromonk Ignaty (Shestakov), gave lectures on the Tsar and his family at two universities: Penza State University and the Penza Artillery Engineering Institute.

***

“The old buildings and streets of Penza remember the visit of Emperor Nicholas II to the city on 28th June 1904. During his visit, the Tsar attended a review of the troops going to the Russo-Japanese War, after which he attended a Divine Liturgy in the Spassky Cathedral.

In memory of Emperor Nicholas II’s visit to Penza, a memorial plaque was installed on one of the columns of the Spassky Cathedral, which was considered lost after the destruction of the cathedral by the Soviets in 1934.

In the late 1990s, this artifact was found by the famous Penza collector Igor Sergeevich Shishkin, who kept it all these years until June 2022, on the day of the consecration of the revived Spassky Cathedral by Patriarch Kirill. On this day, Igor Sergeevich handed over a memorial plaque to the Penza diocese.

There are plans to have the memorial plaque reinstalled to its original place in the Spassky Cathedral, next to the new icon of Nicholas II, for which a case is now being made.

A painting dedicated to this event was painted in the 1990s by Penza artist Denis Santalov. The painting depicts Nicholas II standing before the priest, who offers the Tsar an icon, which he in turn would kiss and make the sign of the cross.

NEW BOOK – Sovereign No. 12 (Winter 2024)

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

*You can order this title from most AMAZON outlets, including
the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan
*Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $20.00 USD

English. Large format 8-1/2″ x 11-1/2″. 130 pages. 114 Black & White photos

I am pleased to offer the first issue of my popular magazine Sovereign: The Life and Reign of Emperor Nicholas II, to be published in 5 years! Sovereign No. 12 – the Winter 2024 issue is now available through AMAZON outlets around the world.

The No. 12 issue, features 17 articles, and richly illustrated with more than 100 photographs, English text. The following articles have been reproduced from my blog, and presented in a printed format for the very first time:

[1] How Boris Yeltsin justified the demolition of the Ipatiev House

[2] Doomed to Resurrection: Is it Possible to Resurrect the Ipatiev House?

[3] The Fate of Nikolai Nikolaevich Ipatiev (1869-1938)

[4] Then they repented of slandering the Tsar . . .

[5] The myth of Nicholas II’s indifference to the Khodynka tragedy

[6] Nicholas II’s Private Apartments In the Winter Palace

[7] Nicholas II, the Union of the Russian People and the Black Hundreds

[8] Imperial Railway Pavilion at Tsarskoye Selo is being restored

[9] The ghost of Anna Anderson continues to haunt us

[10] Nicholas’s national education Project for Russia

[11] The Russian Imperial Award System 1894-1917

[12] How the Orthodox Church supported The overthrow of the monarchy

[13] “There are still many conjectures surrounding the death of Grand Duchess R+Elizabeth”

[14] Lost and found: Romanov family photo album found in Siberia

[15] The Charity of the Holy Tsar Nicholas II

[16] Russia’s last Tsar through Serbian eye

[17] Russia after Putin: Would he restore the monarchy?

Founded in 2015, Sovereign is a unique publication, dedicated to clearing the name of Russia’s much slandered Tsar. Each issue features articles based on new research from Russian archival and media sources.

The opening of the Romanov archives in 1991, unearthed many previously unknown documents, letters and diaries, which shed new light on the life and reign of Nicholas II.

A new generation of Russian historians now have the tools to reassess the popular negative myths and lies which have existed about Nicholas II for more than a century now. Thanks to their efforts, Nicholas II has undergone nothing short of a renaissance in modern-day Russia. Their findings are published in Sovereign.

Why did Sovereign cease publication in 2019?

Many former readers of Sovereign will be delighted to learn of the revival of this once popular publication, which from 2015 to 2019, was published semi-annually. But, why did it cease publication in 2019?

Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 11 issues were published[2]. The last issue, No. 11, was published in February 2019, and the series was cancelled later that year.

Many readers could not understand, why I cancelled Sovereign. I did not cancel the series because it was unpopular, on the contrary, I was forced to cancel the series due to the rising costs of printing this product here in Canada, in addition to Canada Post’s outrageous foreign shipping rates. For example, the rate to ship a single copy of Sovereign to the United States was $12, while the rate to UK, Europe, and other countries was a whopping $22! The postal rates have increased even more since!

Now, thanks to my publishing venture with AMAZON, I can resume publication, and make it available worldwide through AMAZON, while taking advantage of their much more affordable printing and postage rates. For example, I have reduced the retail price from $25 to $20 – a savings of $5 per issue.

The importance of Sovereign for historical accuracy

It is important to note, that the revival of Sovereign, is an integral tool in my personal mission to help clear the name of Russia’s much slandered Tsar. Not only is the publication of this unique periodical, a project which is near and dear to my heart and soul, Sovereign will continue to be a valuable resource for Western historians and researchers, and to those who share an interest in the life and reign of Russia’s last Tsar.

NOTE:

[21 The No. 13 issue of Sovereign is scheduled for publication in Summer 2024.

[2] The only remaining copies of back issues of SOVEREIGN, Nos. 1 to 11, can still be purchased from Amazon.com (United States) and Booksellers van Hoogstraten (The Hague, Netherlands).

Merry Christmas to my Orthodox readers

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

January 7

Today – 7th January – Orthodox Christians around the world
celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

Merry Christmas to my Orthodox friends!

Счастливого Рождества моим православным друзьям!

Срећан Божић мојим православним пријатељима!

Καλά Χριστούγεννα στους Ορθόδοξους φίλους μου!

PAUL GILBERT
7 January 2020

Nicholas II in the news – Summer/Autumn 2023

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

Russia’s last Emperor and Tsar continues to be the subject of news in Western media. For the benefit of those who do not follow me on my Facebook page, I am pleased to present the following 5 full length articles and news stories published by American and British media services, in addition to videos and articles about Nicholas II’s relatives and faithful retainers.

Below, are the articles published between July and December 2023. Click on the title [highlighted in red] and follow the link to read each respective article:

10 main suppliers to the Russian imperial court + 34 PHOTOS

These entrepreneurs supplied the imperial court with all sorts of expensive and exquisite goods. For this service the fortunate few were granted an elevated status as “purveyor to the court”, which in turn made them even more successful among the general population.

Source: Russia Beyond. 24 November 2023

The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy Photo gallery + 37 PHOTOS

On Monday, 16th October 2023, a new outdoor photo-exhibition ‘The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy’ opened in central Moscow. Most of the photographs presented at the exhibition are dedicated to the participation of the Imperial Family II in matters of charity and service to others.

Source: Pravoslavie.ru. 3 November 2023

Why Nicholas II insisted on canonizing Seraphim of Sarov

Despite resistance by Church authorities, the last Russian emperor insisted that the holy Christian elder be declared a saint. This was not just to please ordinary Russian believers, but also because the emperor had a personal request of his own to make to Seraphim of Sarov.

Source: Russia Beyond. 1 August 2023]]

Chronicle of the veneration of the Royal Martyrs in the Urals: History and Modernit

This very interesting article discusses the veneration of the Royal Martyrs that began in Ekaterinburg in the late 1980s, and which eventually led to their formal canonization by the Moscow Patriarchate in 2000. The Imperial Family had already been canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 1981.

Source: Orthodox Christianity. 17 July 2023

Dragomirov’s porridge: Mastering Nicholas II’s favorite brunch

According to popular legend, the last Russian emperor didn’t miss a single day without this savory mushroom and buckwheat porridge. If you want to try the most traditional Russian flavor combo, then give this recipe a try.

Source: Russia Beyond. 5 July 2023

***

For MORE articles, please refer to the following links:

Nicholas II in the news – Spring 2023
8 articles published in April, May and June 2023

Nicholas II in the news – Winter 2023
9 articles published in January, February and March 2023

Nicholas II in the news – Autumn 2022
7 articles published in October, November and December 2022

Nicholas II in the news – Summer 2022
12 articles published in July, August and September 2022

Nicholas II in the news – Spring 2022
7 articles published in April, May and June 2022

Nicholas II in the news – Winter 2022
6 articles published in January, February and March 2022

Paul Gilbert’s Romanov Bookshop on AMAZON – UPDATED with NEW titles!!

I have published more than 30 titles to date through AMAZON – featuring one of the largest selections of books on Nicholas II, the Romanov dynasty and the history of Imperial Russia.

Please CLICK on the BANNER or LINK above to review my current selection of titles in hardcover, paperback and ebook editions. Listings provide a full description for each title, pricing and a Look inside feature.

Icon belonging to Nicholas II discovered in the funds of State Hermitage Museum

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker by the iconographer Grigory Nikolayevich Zhuravlev (1860–1916). The icon was painted in 1884, specially for the future Emperor Nicholas II

In 1885, the heir to the Russian throne Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich [the future Emperor Nicholas II], was presented with an unusual icon of his heavenly patron St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It was unusual not in its execution, but in the way it was written [painted].

This icon was painted by Grigory Nikolayevich Zhuravlev (1860–1916), who used his teeth to paint the image of St. Nicholas. Zhuravlev was a bilateral amputee [a person who was missing both arms and both legs] a peasant from the village of Utyovka, Samara Province.

”

PHOTO: Grigory Nikolayevich Zhuravlev (1860–1916)

Grigory was born with arms up to his elbows and legs up to his knees. However, he was gifted with the ability to draw, which is revealed in his early youth in the painting of icons. Having learned the basics of icon painting from a Samara iconographer, Grigory began to create icons.

He did not receive any special education, he was self-taught. He painted icons for his fellow villagers. He received orders from prominent Samara residents, and was in regular correspondence with the Samara governor Alexander Sverbeev, who became the iconographer’s patron.

In 1884, Zhuravlev met with Sverbeev, and made a request to present Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich with an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker – the future Tsar’s namesake. The governor heartily approved his request.

PHOTO: the Trinity Church in Zhuravlev’s native village of Utevka (near Samara)

Grigory Zhuravlev enclosed a letter with the icon:

“Your Imperial Highness! I most humbly ask you to allow this icon to come to Your Highest Name, because I have no hands and feet. And I painted this icon at the instruction of Almighty God, Who allowed me into the Light of God. And he gave me a gift. Using the movement of my mouth God I direct my skill to create this icon.”

The Tsesarevich graciously accepted the icon painted by the peasant Zhuravlev and deigned to grant him a one-time allowance of one hundred rubles from His Imperial Majesty’s own sum, a very generous sum.

Interestingly, the artist without arms and legs was invited to paint icons in the Trinity Church in his native village of Utevka (near Samara). The iconographer was tied to a cradle and lifted to the appropriate height, where he painted holy images, holding the brush in his teeth.

PHOTO: in 2020, an article by Anna Ivannikova, about the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was published in an issue of the Russian magazine Дилетант [Diletant]

When Nicholas Alexandrovich returned to St. Petersburg, he kept the icon in his private rooms in the Anitchkov Palace. After the distribution of possessions of the Romanov’s in 1935, the icon ended up in the the State Russian Museum in Leningrad, and in 1941 it was transferred to the State Hermitage Museum, where it was placed into storage, as museum staff believed it had no historic significance.

Several years ago, a unique icon was discovered in the funds of the Staraya Derevnya Restoration and Storage Center of the State Hermitage Museum. Researchers knew nothing of the icon’s provenance. That is, until Alexander Malinovskiy, a local historian, writer and Doctor of Technical Sciences, a researcher of the life and work of Grigory Zhuravlev, provided the Hermitage with information which solved the mystery of the icon and it’s famous iconographer.

PHOTO: Alexander Malinovskiy

Malinovsky cited two letters, which provided evidence. In one of them, Zhuravlev writes that he and his father are sending an icon commissioned by the governor. In the same archive, he found another letter from Zhuravlev to Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich dated 1884 with a request to accept an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, specially painted for him.

On the back of the icon there is an inscription: “From the archive of the Tsesarevich”.

Zhuraviev’s icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, gifted to the future Emperor Nicholas II, has been preserved to this day, in the Collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich exhibit opens in Bryansk

Posted on December 29, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

On 7th December 2023, the exhibition “Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich – Military Leader, Philanthropist, Saint” opened at the Bryansk State Museum of Local Lore. The younger brother of Emperor Nicholas II, was the most closely associated member of the Russian Imperial Family with with the Bryansk region.

From 1899 to 1917, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich owned the vast Brasov estate, which he visited several times and which under his leadership turned into an exemplary economic enterprise. The main estate of the Brasov estate was situated in the village of Lokot, which included a beautiful manor house and park, it became a favorite place for the Grand Duke and his family. There Mikhail Alexandrovich received guests, among whom were the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff and the famous artist Stanislav Zhukovsky.

Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the main events in the life of of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and the historical epoch with which he is so closely connected. The exhibition features many unique exhibits, including silver coins and Imperial Orders, issues of the magazine “Niva“, military uniforms of cavalry units and formations commanded by the Grand Duke, furniture and samples of decorative and applied art in the style of the interiors of the Brasov estate and the Gatchina Palace.

***

MISHA: GRAND DUKE MICHAEL ALEXANDROVICH
Compiled and Edited by Paul Gilbert

Paperback edition. 136 pages + 50 black & white photographs

CLICK HERE TO ORDER PAPERBACK EDITION

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich (1878-1918) was the youngest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, and the younger brother of Russia’s last emperor Nicholas II.

This book explores the milestones in the life of Grand Duke Michael in a series of essays by four distinct authors, and complemented with 50 black and white photographs.

Among them are the memories of Princess Olga Pavlovna Putyatina, who in February 1917, offered refuge to the grand duke at her flat on Millionnaya Street in Petrograd.

Independent researcher Paul Gilbert offers two fascinating essays: the first reviews an album of some 200 photographs taken by Grand Duke Michael, during his stay at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire. England, 1913-1914 . The album sold at auction for more than 2 million rubles ($34,000 USD).

The final essay examines the myth that Michael was the last Tsar of Russia, he was not. Nicholas II remained Emperor and Tsar of Russia until the day of his death and martyrdom on 17th July 1918.

Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and his Secretary Nikolai Nikolaevich Johnson, were both murdered by the Bolsheviks near Perm on 13 June 1918. Their remains have never been found.