I wrote this for the wikipedia, but I thought I'd like to share it here first. Any additional information would be appreciated.
Maria Nikolaevna (born August 18, 1819 in Pavlovsk; died February 21, 1876 in St. Petersburg) was a daughter of Zar NicholasI of Russia and sister of Alexander II. She was Duchess of Leuchtenberg and President of the Academy of Arts in St. Peterburg.
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna was born on August 18, 1819 in Pavlovsk, She was the second of seven children and eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Alexandra Feodorvna, born Princess Charlotte of Prussia. Unusually for her position and time, she married for love. She met her future husband, Maximilian the third Duke of Leuchtenberg, a grand son of Empress Josephine, when he came to St Petersburg in Calvary maneuvers in 1837. A year later he made a second visit to St Petersburg, as noted by Grand Duchess Olga in her diary “ in four days it has become quite clear that Max and Maria were made for each other’. It was not a desirable match for a daughter of a Russian Emperor. Maximilian was one level below royalty with the treatment only of serene Highness as member of a secondary branch of the house of Bavaria. The Bonaparte family had been bitter enemies of Russia, nevertheless the Zar granted his permission on condition that his daughter did not live Russia to live abroad. Since the duke of Leuchtenberg was not a member of a reigning family, it was easy for him to accommodate in Russia and live there. The wedding took place on July 2, 1839 in the chapel of the winter Palace. Her father made her husband and imperial Highness. They remained in Russia where their seven children grew up in the circle of the imperial family. The Duchess of Leuchtenberg residence in St Petersburg was since 1845 the Marinsky Palace, named after the grand Duchess. Maria Nikolaievna and her husband had artistic inclinations and where active in charitable and artistic causes. Maria’s husband was President of the Academy of Arts. The Grand Duchess was an avid art collector and after the death of her husband in 1852, she replaced him as President of the Academy of Arts. From then on, Maria Nikolaievana devoted herself to her collection even with greater ardor. Maria Nikolaievna made a second marriage in 1854, to Count Grigori Stroganov. (1823 – 1878). It was a morganatic union and was kept secret while her father lived. Officially the marriage did not take place until November 16, 1856, after Nicholas I death. Her sister Olga described her as more talented than all her brothers and sisters put together, but lacking a sense of duty.
In 1862, Maria Nikolaievna installed herself in Florence in the Villa Quarto, which had belonged to Jerome Bonaparte, and appointed the painter and collector Karl Liphard as her advisor. They went almost daily to visit Museums, private collection and antiquaries. In Italy, the Grand Duchess was zealous in her purchases of painting, sculptures and furniture for the complete refurbishing of his residence.
Duchess Maria probably suffered either from varicose veins or from some sort of bone disease, and by the end of her life she had become and invalid. She died on February 21, 1876 in St. Petersburg.
On her death in 1876 Maria Nikolaievna art collections were divided between her three surviving sons: Prince Nicholas of Leuchtenberg, his brothers Eugene and George, their sisters Princes Maria of Baden and Princess Eugenia of Oldenburg and their half sister countess Elena Strogonova. In 1884, her son mounted an exhibition at the St Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts with the Grand Duchess former collection. In 1913 another exhibitions was organized at the Hermitage entitle the Heritage of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna. After the revolution the collection was dispersed and now can be enjoyed in museums in Moscow, St Petersburg, Vienna and the United States.
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