Alexander Palace Restoration

[blessOTMA]

I hope you all saw my post about Bob arranging for the return of 48 original color autochrome plates taken about 1914 of the interiors of the AP, both parade rooms and personal apartments, which will be used to guide the restorations.

It's a dream come true. Thank you, Bob!

[Rodney_G.]

I'm thinking "From April 15, 1944 to July 14, 1941" is a typo, unless he could write backwards in time.

Must be. But it's Bookemon's, not mine!

I understand perfectly, IN. I'm just surprised it wasn't caught earlier.

[Jen_94]

I hope you all saw my post about Bob arranging for the return of 48 original color autochrome plates taken about 1914 of the interiors of the AP, both parade rooms and personal apartments, which will be used to guide the restorations.

Excellent news!

[Joanna]

An earlier article on the AP restoration program. Photos prior to the work are intriguing. Does anyone know the locations of these rooms - possibly in the right wing?
http://tzar.ru/science/restoration/upcoming/adm

http://tzar.ru/Files/image/244f4122.jpg
This is probably the upper level of the second floor - but whether right or left wing staircase?

http://tzar.ru/Files/image/244f4102.jpg
Interesting style of the ceiling - it is like Hau's watercolors of the boudoirs in the Grand Duchess rooms of the Winter Palace. I wonder which corner room this is? As the space between the window and ceiling is quite low, could this be a second floor room?

http://tzar.ru/Files/image/244f4086.jpg
Fireplace - was it hidden and just now uncovered?

http://tzar.ru/Files/image/244f4119(1).jpg
Most likely second floor room as again the low celing. Damage is extensive but is the light fixture a clue to the identifcation of the room?

http://tzar.ru/Files/image/244f4081.jpg
Floor pattern - any ideas of the room?

Joanna

[Brassov]

Hi Joanna
I am not sure how old the photographs are, but I have seen an old black and white photograph of the tented pink room somewhere before. I have been hunting for it and cannot find it. I originally thought it was made out of plaster, but can now see that it is fabric. The wallpaper also looks very old. Could it be that this room has retained its original decoration ? I cannot imagine the Soviets going to all the  trouble of doing a tented ceiling. The little chandelier is definitely a later addition.
I am sure all these rooms are in the right wing. Also it would be interesting to compare the marble tiles on the landing to that in the left wing leading to the childrens rooms. I suspect one would find them to be identical.
The fireplace is definitely original, and has survived wonderfully. Probably because, thankfully, it was blocked up.

[Joanna]

Hi Brassov,

Do you think that these photos could be 2nd floor of the left wing as that was the area restored first for the opening last year?

I thought the chandelier was "new", but what do you think of the medallion? Could it be c1900s?

The tented ceiling - did you notice the circular design over the windows? That may be clue to the corner room identification. When the AP was opened in 1949 for the Pushkin exhibition, they had used the teneted ceiling in one of the parade rooms - photoarchive had a series of photos. Could that be what you had remembered?

The fireplace has a unique design - sword on the side.  That style was not in the GD's rooms.

Joanna

[EmmyLee]

I don't think those photos are from the left wing. By the time that staircase photo came out, we had already seen a remodeled staircase from the left wing. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any photos from the top of the staircase, so I don't know if they kept the original tiling on the floor.




The only room I think the tented ceiling room could be is Corner Drawing Room in the right wing, 2nd floor-- we just can't see two of the windows. The room below that is the Blue Drawing Room, so I assume the walls would be blue to give it that name. Unless the pink wallpaper was added later. However, the one photo that I have that I believe is the Blue Drawing Room doesn't match the tented ceiling room at all. Does anyone know if this is indeed the Blue Drawing Room? I have the photo labeled "blue sitting room."

[lilianna]

1. Stairs to 2nd Floor Children's half. I have a picture from the top of the stairs when I was at the show.
2.  Alexander Palace  will not be repaired within six years. No money until 2018.
Read this in Russian: http://karpovka.net/2012/07/26/54379/

[EmmyLee]

Disappointing. Can't say I'm surprised though. It's a huge job and money is rarely easy to come by.

[Joanna]

The only room I think the tented ceiling room could be is Corner Drawing Room in the right wing, 2nd floor-- we just can't see two of the windows. The room below that is the Blue Drawing Room, so I assume the walls would be blue to give it that name. Unless the pink wallpaper was added later. However, the one photo that I have that I believe is the Blue Drawing Room doesn't match the tented ceiling room at all. Does anyone know if this is indeed the Blue Drawing Room? I have the photo labeled "blue sitting room."

Emmy, I have also this photo identified as #33 Blue Drawing Room. The area on the right between the fireplace and wall is narrow - that would have been when they reconstructed the room c1840s to add the Small Chapel in memory of GD Alexandra N.

I have a copy of Hau’s painting of #33 c1850s showing the same view as the tented photo. Elaborate cornices were changed to more simple style for Empress Marie F. and possibly removed after the war.

I had thought the tented ceiling could be 2nd Floor right wing #52 Corner Drawing Room. The windows could be a clue yet the 1st floor have the same style of small upper panes.

Mystery continues!
Joanna

[Forum Admin]

1. Stairs to 2nd Floor Children's half. I have a picture from the top of the stairs when I was at the show.
2.  Alexander Palace  will not be repaired within six years. No money until 2018.
Read this in Russian: http://karpovka.net/2012/07/26/54379/

Not exactly accurate. Am not able to discuss details, but Bob has been in close contact with the Museum staff, as a result of the acquisition of the Autochrome plates, and the restoration is proceeding and will be FINISHED in six years. Not "funded" in six years time, the funding is allocated FOR a six years period.

[aleksandr pavlovich]

1. Stairs to 2nd Floor Children's half. I have a picture from the top of the stairs when I was at the show.
2.  Alexander Palace  will not be repaired within six years. No money until 2018.
Read this in Russian: http://karpovka.net/2012/07/26/54379/

Not exactly accurate. Am not able to discuss details, but Bob has been in close contact with the Museum staff, as a result of the acquisition of the Autochrome plates, and the restoration is proceeding and will be FINISHED in six years. Not "funded" in six years time, the funding is allocated FOR a six years period.

Today, Paul Gilbert, in his "Royal Russia  Bulletin" update, has added his take on this time-line scenario, in the lead article "Lack of Funding Will Delay Alexander Palace Restorations."   Regards,  AP.

[Joanna]

There are ongoing exhibitions being held in the AP so it is still open while restoration is ongoing in others parts of the palace, for example:
http://eng.tzar.ru/shows/show/?id=3042


An article dated July 2012 on funding of AP for next three years with details:
http://www.nsp.ru/nums/21959.html

Transliteral:
HMP "Tsarskoye Selo" over three years will be able to fix the Alexander Palace. Ministry of Culture confirmed the targeted funding of around 220 million rubles. However, this money should be enough just to constructive work.

On the restoration of the interiors and the creation of the museum exhibition, additional, probably even larger amounts. A rough estimate, the total cost of all works could be about 1 billion rubles. So ambitious plans to open in full management transformed the palace museum in the year of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty did not come true. Nevertheless, HMP gratefully start talking about funding, which could get pretty quickly: the project looked at the federal council of the Ministry of Culture at the end of last year (in current circumstances it is well, very quickly. - "NA").

Having secured a guarantee of public capital investment, HMP has already announced two contests for those wishing to assist the reconstruction and restoration of the famous palace is closely associated with the imperial family, and particularly to Nicholas II.  In contrast to the increasingly common practice of holding the competition, where the chosen contractor, which among other things, instruct and genproektirovanie, this time for the architectural and restoration workshops announced a separate tender. Starting amount - about 45 million rubles. The winners will develop a working draft based on documentation, made the studio "Studio-44".

Construction and restoration work for which the Federation has scheduled about 173 million, primarily encompass the design of the building and engineering systems. So, is scheduled to bury the basement (about half a meter) and make a monolithic slab: in the underground part of the house a reception area, dressing room, offices and cafes. It is necessary to strengthen and restore the masonry walls, foundations and vaults, to fix a system of waterproofing, strengthening the foundations of the columns, metal restore.

According to plans of the federal funds will be allocated in phases this year - about 55.8 million, next year - 45.7 million in 2014 - 71.2 million is not impossible that the results of the competition will decrease the amount of a few. When the competitions will be announced for the restoration of the interior - is still unknown. As explained by Nikita Yavein, director of "Studio-44," Alexander Palace interiors are heterogeneous and safety (non-safety) finish, and its state. So, two years ago for the 300th anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo State Museum has restored three rooms in the front suite.

The ideology of the interiors - the preservation of "layering" of the palace. After all, there are rooms in the style of high classicism, designed by Giacomo Quarenghi ('s Palace), is miraculously preserved fragments of decoration of the modern era. In the halls, where the interiors are destroyed by the war, it is supposed to reconstruct only those elements that have the documentary evidence (primarily photographs and sketches). That is, HMP, and architects are planning to follow the rules and the Charter of Venice (conservation will all periods in the history of the palace), and the principles of the Leningrad school of post-war period: to recreate everything that can be recreated.
Elena Kuznetsova  - The weekly newspaper "Real estate and construction of St. Petersburg", № 28 (714) 2012-07-16, c.16

Joanna

[Forum Admin]

Udate!

The Tsarskoye Selo State Museum encountered an unexpected, substantial, increase in the cost of Autochrome plates, due to unforeseen VAT, export duties and the like.  Mike Pyles has contacted the Museum and is currently in discussions on the exact terms of another gift from him, of an additional $30,000, in order to address these expenses and get the plates into the Museum's hands as soon as possible.

Further, the Museum directors and staff have approved the preliminary designs for "The Friends of the Alexander Palace Museum Society", with the website to be built by Bob Atchison and Pallasart, and with Bob running "The Friends", along with some long standing supporters of the Museum.  Continuing discussion is ongoing between the Tsarskoye Museum directors and Bob for a new collaborative effort, working closely together.

[Laura Mabee]

Joanna> Thank you so much for this information! It's great to know the AP will be open in some capacity while restorations are taking place. Seeing the AP when in Russia is on my "must do" list every time, and if it was closed it would change my plans. Also, may I say, It's always lovely to see your posts! Always so helpful and informative!

FA> This is great news! Thank you so much for keeping us in the loop! I am very excited to see this new website.