The palaces of Saint-Petersburg’s suburbs
Ekaterina Skvortcova will give an outline of the three main ensembles in the suburbs of Saint-Petersburg – Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk.
Main content
The palaces of Saint-Petersburg’s suburbs are known for their splendour and epitomize the might of the Russian Empire in its heyday.
Ruined in World War II and then magnificently restored, they embody the sense of tradition and continuity. The foundation of Saint-Petersburg coincides with the beginning of the period when Russia’s integration into cultural space of Western Europe was drastically accelerated by the reforms of Peter the Great.
Palaces of the city’s suburbs which were being rebuilt, enlarged and remodelled throughout the XVIII-early XIXth centuries illustrate how Russia learnt from Europe and how western artistic ideas were reinterpreted in Russian art according to national traditions.
The course is arranged "geographically": each lecture is dedicated to a particular ensemble.
This enables to underline its uniqueness, trace the history of its construction in context of Russian art, demonstrate shifts in artistic taste and enliven the story with insights into biographies of its owners.
The architecture and interiors are explored in cohesion with objects of decorative art designed for them. Great significance is attached to after-war restoration, as this experience considerably contributed to the science of restoration in general.
The lectures
The palaces of Saint-Petersburg's suburbs: owners, architecture, gardens, art collections and restoration.
- Peterhof: The Official Summer Residence of the Russian Emperors and Neighbouring Parks and Palaces
Monday 7 April at 12.15-14 - The Tsarskoye Selo: Masterpieces of Baroque and Neoclassical Architecture
Wednesday 9 April at 10.15-12 - Pavlovsk: The Home of Grand Duke Paul's Family
Friday 11 April at 12.15-14
Open lectures
The lectures are part of the course Art and Architecture in the Early Modern Period (1400-1750)
Ekaterina Skvortcova
PhD and a lecturer at the Department of Russian Art History, St. Petersburg State University. She specializes in studies of XVIIIth-century Russian art.
Mobility Project
- The lectures have come about through a four-year collaboration between art historians at the University of Bergen and St. Petersburg State University
- Mobility Project for students and teachers
- Financed by SIU
- Managed by LLE
