The exhibition "Russian Empress: Fashion and Style" opened in the exhibition hall of federal archives. The Womanhit correspondent learned the details of the daily lives of Russian sovereign, which sometimes had a very serious impact on fashion zigzags.
Instruction for Her Majesty
Sofia Maria Dorothea Augustus Louise Württemberg - Empress Maria Fedorovna, wife Paul I
Preparing for marriage, Cesarevich Pavel Petrovich his own written instructions for his future spouse. Points were several:
"one. Outstairs faith, that is, everything belongs to church rites.
2. To read Her Majesty (Empress Catherine - Avt.) And to behave with her fit.
3. To behave as I wish ...
6. [Respect] Russian language and other knowledge regarding the country ...
8. With adequately believing to the money, wardrobe and other expenses ... "
Young spouses lived in the royal village. Among their traditional "wellness entertainment" - morning riding riding. Interestingly, Cesarevich had 12 routes of such "raids" on the palace surroundings. Every time the choice was carried out using the lot: the future emperor prepared special tickets for this procedure, which are preserved in the envelope, with an explanatory inscription Mary Fedorovna: "12 tickets for choosing a lot of route of the Yezhutrenenna walk riding in the royal village ..., at a time when he He was a great prince from 1777 to 1781, written by him personally and trusted to store me as a pleasant memory of the happy times of our youth, which we spent together ..., about the attachments and feelings ... ".
Ex-Sophia Mary Dorothee, as well as its successors, was not destined to even dream of the laurels of the Government of the Russian: Paul I, going to the throne after the death of the "hot unloved" Mother - Empress Ekaterina Great, canceled once and for all the women's rule in Russia. From now on, "steering" a huge country is an exclusively male "profession". And the tsarist wife is charity, to file an example of a marital loyalty and maternal love, personify the wealth and pomp of the imperial yard with their appearance.
Exhibit exhibition - Bulk Cabinet Maria Fedorovna.
Maria Fedorovna has long been in the rank of "Spouses Heir-Cesarevich", and the reign period for her turned out to be very small - only five years. Then more than a quarter of a century she lived, being a "widowing empress." (These were hardly the happiest years of life: after the death of the spouse, the king, often differently differently extravagant behavior, the woman felt, finally, the warmth of real family love and attention. Her son who took the throne first of her son, and then the younger rendered Mother all sorts of respect . Especially Nikolai Pavlovich is the "brutal" autocratic, who visited the whole of Europe, was a very attentive and gentle son in his personal life. He read her as the head of the house, like the "mother of the dynasty", providing her to her permanent signs of care and love.)
In contrast to his spouse, his Pavli I Maria Fedorovna adored magnificent secular ceremonies, gladly performed the requirements of the court etiquette and demanded the same from others. It is not surprising that the former Württemberg Princess paid a lot of attention to his outfits, some of which she ordered in France. Here are just some orders made for the future empress by the modist of the French queen Mademoiselle Berthen in the period from April 1, 1788 to September 7, 1792:
"March 6, 1791. ... Puf (female headdress - auth.) A La Sultan, covered with a crepe and beautiful silk lace ... - 200 Fr [Anckov]. The second pouf of purple gas with beautiful silk lace with embroidery in the form of festoons ... - 196.
The third puf of pink crepe with excellent silk lace ... - 200; ... The fourth hespec made of gas, covered with Ryushch from black tulle - 120. "
Exhibit exhibition is one of the dresses of Mary Fedorovna.
Outfits sometimes differed in special "exclusivity". For example, one of the preserved ballrooms of it (with metal threads in the finest yoke) decorated with appliqués in the form of the Maltese Cross - how - in no way the husband Paul was a Master of Maltese Order.
In the organization of everyday life, Maria Fedorovna clearly affect her German roots: a clear routine of the day, no idleness! Usually after the morning walk, she drank coffee, read the report, wrote the letters, took the reports of their personal secretaries. The evening passed in reading, dancing, theatrical performances (the empress was regularly made by the performances of amateurs actors). An hour before the midnight, Maria Fedorovna was removed to sleep into his chambers.
The royal wife was fond of art. She painted well, and special success achieved in the genre of the picture. In this case, the favorite material was not at all paper, and the plates of milk-white glass, in which Maria Fedorovna drew lead pencils, watercolor or gouache.
This woman was distinguished by high growth, gentle face. Until old age, she retained the harness of the figure. Contemporaries noted that, giving birth to eight children, even the "65-year-old Empress was still perfectly folded; The majestic growth of it and the royal posture caused fear and respect, but the kindness of her face and the view was in confidence in the hearts. "
The exhibition will last until June 13. Work time - from 12.00 to 18.00. Weekends - Monday, Tuesday. Address: Moscow, ul. Large Pirogovskaya, 17.