Alexandra's mezzanine nook...

[halen]

I have been reading, Nicholas and Alexandra: At Home with the Last Tsar and his Family. When talking about the Maple Room, the book states...

"a mezzanine decorated with maple wood ornamental carvings, led through a hallway to the mezzanine in Nichola's formal, official study. This construction enabled the empress to be present, unobserved, during Nicholas's talks with officials and advisers. There was a nook ...where Alexandra Feodorovna would sit at her needlework or drawing. Unfortunately, the decorations of this unusual and elegant room were destroyed during the war, and our only idea of how it looked comes from photographs of that time."

I know I have read that she sat there unobserved, but for the life of me, I can't remember where I read it. Can someone validate the statement from the book? If it is true, does anyone have any pictures of what this nook looked like.

Thanks in advance for any information

Louise

[Robert_Hall]

I have a picture of it somewhere, but can't find it at the moment. You might ask Helen A. I will keep looking though.  Although I rather doubt that Alexandra spent much time  listening in on Nichaolas' meetings. Sounds more like the Dowager Empreess of China- Tsu Chi

[Robert_Hall]

 This is not very good, but you can see the stairway going up to the mezzanine "nook". It really does not lead anywhere now, as the door connecting it to the private apartments is sealed off and  visitors are not allowed to go up.

[Sarushka]

A similar view of Alexandra's mezzanine in the Maple room:



I thought I had some photos of the mezzanine itself, but on closer inspection I'm almost certain they're actually of the nooks *under* the mezzanine:

[Robert_Hall]

Much better, Sarushka.   Those are archival,  mine was just a current  picture from a vist last year.

[Sarushka]

You're welcome, Robert. The only photo I'm aware of that actually shows the balcony itself in the New Study is also a contemporary shot:



A couple more modern shots, from below:



I don't know why I didn't think before to look for vintage photos of the balcony as seen from the New Study:

[Robert_Hall]

Interesting photos of another one of Alexandra's "Cozy Corners". That woman was nuts for clutter.

[halen]

Thanks for the photos. It is great to be able to wonder about something you read and then have the facts appear before your eyes. I appreciate your work in tracking down the mezzanine.

Louise

[Robert_Hall]

Well, Louise, you asked, so why not?

[halen]

...-)

Louise

[Robert_Hall]

Curious, though.  Those marble pillars are only in the  contemporary pictures are they not?  Am I correct in understanding that the current room is a re-creation for the film?

[halen]

Is there any documentation in Nicholas' or Alexandra's diaries that indicated when Alexandra began to listen in on meetings. Did any of the advisers/ministers know that their conversations were over heard?

Louise

[Reco]

old photo

[Robert_Hall]

How interseting, Reco, that shows the pillars, while the earlier ones did not. I wonder when they actually came in then? Or, maybe my eyesight is catching up with my dyslexia...

[Sarushka]

Curious, though.  Those marble pillars are only in the  contemporary pictures are they not?

I guess I don't see the difference you do...which means one of us is (or isn't) seeing things...

Am I correct in understanding that the current room is a re-creation for the film?

Yes. On another thread someone -- ChristineM, perhaps -- specifically said this was a "reconstruction" as opposed to a restoration.