The image of a Russian estate in photography. Modern estates. Lifestyle. Offers and features Russian estates of the 19th century as a source of inspiration
The Russian estate was the basis of the economy and culture of the Russian Empire. We find a description of the estate way of life of the nobility in the works of Pushkin, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. Beautiful mansions with gardens, parks and ponds were captured by painters of more than one generation, including Kandinsky and Sudeikin. The ROSPHOTO exhibition shows another side of estate life - photographs from the collection of the State Historical Museum, allowing you to plunge into the atmosphere of our country's past, see professional and amateur photographs of long-forgotten or abandoned estates.
The exhibition opens with custom-made views of estates made by masters of famous photographic studios in the 19th century. Typically, these photographs are reminiscent of today's advertising shoots, as they are designed to show the estate at its best, both architecturally and landscape-wise. They are also somewhat presentational in nature, since they are portraits of the owners against the backdrop of their own estates. The estates of Ostafyevo, Arkhangelskoye, Ilyinskoye and others are depicted in a similar way.
Peasants near a manor house in Nikolsko-Prozorovsky. Photo by Mikhail Tulinov. Mid 1860s
View of the main house in Islavskoye. Unknown photographer. 1914
Waiting for the horse. Photo by Nikolai Krotkov. 1899
On the contrary, the amateur photographs presented at the exhibition are distinguished by the spontaneity of the subject and the vividness of the composition. The authors of these photographs are usually the owners of the estates or one of their guests. These frames, taken from family albums, best convey the atmosphere of manor life - picnics on the grass, boat rides, walks, dear secluded corners of the park and surrounding area.
Interior in Pokrovsky. Atelier “Photograph of the Resurrection Monastery by Hierodeacon Diodorus.” 1878
Portrait of Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova in Arkhangelskoye. Photo by Daniil Asikritov. Around 1900
Girl with roses. Photo by Nikolai Petrov. 1900s
Photographs from the early twentieth century do not so much convey the atmosphere as they try to preserve for history the phenomenon of a Russian estate. This is not artistic or staged photography; rather, it is photographic documentation of a passing history for future generations. And already in the 1920s, photographers were photographing the estate as a lost culture that had irretrievably sunk into the past.
Address: St. Petersburg, st. B. Morskaya, 35. Exhibition hall of the Front Building, 2nd floor.
We thank ROSPHOTO for the photographs provided.
Saint Petersburg
The State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO together with the State Historical Museum present the exhibition “The Image of a Russian Estate in Photography,” demonstrating a collection of estate photography from the 1860s to the 1920s from the collection of the Historical Museum. The exhibition allows us to trace the evolution of the estate theme in photography and identify the main directions of estate subjects in Russian photography.
The estate as the basis of noble life, economy and culture of the Russian Empire was a vivid expression of national genius and a place of contact between elite and popular cultures. Equal from a historical point of view, although not equal in artistic qualities, photographic images of Russian estates create a diverse picture of bygone estate culture, the poetic world of family nests and the private life of large noble and merchant families. The estate appears at the exhibition from several angles: from ceremonial views of large estates and amateur photographs from family albums to artistic images of ancient parks and abandoned estates.
The exhibition opens with custom-made views of estates made by masters of the largest photographic studios. The photographs, often large in size and specially designed, show advantageous views of the architectural complex and landscape, as well as portraits of the owners in their favorite estates. The plot of the estate views, the printing features, and sometimes the composition were determined not only by the ideas of the photographer himself, but also by the wishes of the customer. Many famous estates (Ostafyevo, Arkhangelskoye, Ilyinskoye), which served as the central residences of their owners, are depicted in a similar way. The exhibition features unique examples of early estate photography from the 1860s. – photographs of the Nikolskoye-Obolyaninovo estate, taken by M.N. Sherer, and Nikolskoye-Prozorovskoye M.B. Tulinova.
The second section is devoted to amateur photography. The authors of these photographs are the owners and guests of the estates themselves. The photographs are distinguished by the spontaneity of the subjects and the vividness of the composition. At the turn of the century, photography became an accessible form of artistic activity. Summer leisure in Russian society was traditionally associated with the estate, so images of everyday joyful life on the estate became widespread in amateur photography. The appearance of amateur photographs is not related to the aesthetic or historical value of the estate; they are generated by the harmonious atmosphere of estate life and common family activities. The subjects of the photographs are varied: genre scenes (picnics on the grass, boating, walking), portraits of servants and guests, personal rooms on the upper floor, sweet secluded corners of the park and surrounding area.
The photographs in the next section reflect the interest that arose in the early 20th century in the study and preservation of the Russian estate with its artistic and historical artifacts. The estate is beginning to be perceived as a unique synthetic phenomenon of art and a place of ancestral memory. Photographers strive to capture the features of the architectural ensemble and interior complex of estates. A number of masters turn to photography of architecture and the view genre for the purpose of photographic documentation of monuments: P.P. Pavlov, N.N. Ushakov, A.A. Ivanov-Terentyev.
At the beginning of the 20th century. The myth of the Russian estate took literary and artistic form, and the idea of it as a symbol of the outgoing noble culture was formed. The author's eye of the photographers was attracted by details and landscapes that conveyed the special passeistic mood of estate life - the poetry of dying, passing greatness. The main objects of the image - the estate nature and the park - became spiritual and emotionally charged. The idea of the estate was embodied in iconic images of artistic photography: a young lady and a park alley. In some works, the artistically transformed image of the estate, as if covered with a light haze of memory, corresponds to the techniques of pictorial photography. The works in this section come from the fund of the Russian Photographic Society - the pearl of the photographic collection of the Historical Museum. Photos by N.S. Krotkova, V.N. Chasovnikova, V.N. Shokhin's works were shown in photographic competitions and were selected by the Society to create a museum. The estate theme was also reflected in the works of famous masters A.S. Mazurin and N.A. Petrova.
The last significant period in the development of the estate theme in artistic light painting was the 1920s. The enormous interest in studying the estate heritage and the poetry of devastated nests attracted leading Soviet photographers. At this time, having become exclusively a phenomenon of the past, the estate acquired the possibility of new interpretations. The exhibition presents photo studies of the outstanding domestic master A.D. Greenberg, who sought to create a new image of the estate. The photographer’s works no longer embody the beautiful “bygone” Silver Age, but the “former”, irretrievably lost, perished past. Most of these estate photographs were shown at the famous 1928 exhibition “Soviet Photography for 10 Years.” Subsequently, the disappearance of estate culture as a living and powerful tradition led to the absence of its image in Soviet photography.
Exhibition hall of the Front building, 2nd floor.
State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO
Address: St. Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya, 35
Directions: St. metro station "Nevsky Prospekt"/"Gostiny Dvor", "Admiralteyskaya", troll. No. 5, 22, bus. No. 27, 3, 22. Art. m. "Sennaya Ploshchad"/"Sadovaya"
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Publications in the Literature section
Estates and dachas in the works of Russian classics
A country house or estate located near the city is a real Russian phenomenon. We often find descriptions of such estates in Russian classical literature: many important events take place in dacha settings, in shady alleys and gardens.
Lev Tolstoy
One of the famous summer residents was Leo Tolstoy. His life revolved around the family estate Yasnaya Polyana, where he raised his children, taught peasant children and worked on manuscripts. The Russian estate became for Tolstoy not just a home where happy childhood years were spent, but also a place where character was strengthened. His views on the structure of manor life and the way of life in general formed the basis for the worldview of the young landowner Konstantin Levin, one of the heroes of the novel Anna Karenina.
“The house was large, old, and although Levin lived alone, he stoked and occupied the whole house. He knew that it was stupid, he knew that it was even bad and contrary to his current new plans, but this house was the whole world for Levin. This was the world in which his father and mother lived and died. They lived the life that for Levin seemed to be the ideal of all perfection and which he dreamed of resuming with his wife, with his family.”
Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
For Levin, the estate is not only fertile ground for nostalgia, but also a means of earning money, an opportunity to provide a decent existence for himself and his family. Only a well-groomed and strong economy could survive in the new Russia. In Tolstoy's estate there was no place for the pampered Onegins - they fled to the cities. There remains a real owner in the village, to whom laziness is alien: “Levin also ate oysters, although white bread with cheese was more pleasant to him.”.
Ivan Turgenev
The inhabitants of Ivan Turgenev's provincial noble nests are enlightened and educated people who are aware of cultural and social events. Although the widowed landowner Nikolai Kirsanov lived constantly on the estate, he adhered to progressive ideas: he subscribed to magazines and books, and was interested in poetry and music. And he gave his son an excellent education. The Kirsanov brothers turned their old parents' house into a fashionable mansion: they brought furniture and sculptures there, laid out gardens and parks around it, dug ponds and canals, erected garden pavilions and gazebos.
“And Pavel Petrovich returned to his elegant office, the walls covered with beautiful wild-colored wallpaper, with weapons hanging on a colorful Persian carpet, with walnut furniture upholstered in dark green tripe, with a renaissance library (from French “in the style of the Renaissance.” [I] - Ed. [I]) made of old black oak, with bronze figurines on a magnificent desk, with a fireplace ... "
Ivan Turgenev, “Fathers and Sons”
During Turgenev’s youth, the estate was considered a place where a nobleman could hide from high society and rest his soul and body. However, the writer felt anxiety - as if the estate, as a stronghold of reliability and peace, would soon disappear. Even then, descriptions of decaying estates appeared in his works - this is how he imagined the future of the landowner culture of Russia.
“Lavretsky went out into the garden, and the first thing that caught his eye was the very bench on which he had once spent several happy, never-to-be-repeated moments with Liza; it turned black and became distorted; but he recognized her, and his soul was overcome by that feeling that has no equal in both sweetness and sorrow - a feeling of living sadness about the vanished youth, about the happiness that he once possessed.”
Ivan Turgenev, “The Noble Nest”
Anton Chekhov
The dilapidated dachas from Turgenev's works, overgrown with weeds, burdocks, gooseberries and raspberries, in which traces of human presence will finally fall silent very soon, are reflected in the works of Anton Chekhov. An empty or ruined estate as a place of events appears in almost every one of his stories.
Chekhov himself was not a “chick of the noble nest”; in 1892, he and his family moved to a neglected and uncomfortable estate in Melikhovo. For example, in the story “House with a Mezzanine,” all that was left of the landowner’s former wealth was a house with a mezzanine and dark park alleys, but the life of the owners is adapting to the new era: one of the daughters left her parents forever, and the second now “lives on her own money,” which very proud.
“He said little about the Volchaninovs. Lida, according to him, still lived in Shelkovka and taught children at school; Little by little, she managed to gather around her a circle of people she liked, who formed a strong party and at the last zemstvo elections “rolled” Balagin, who until that time had held the entire district in his hands. About Zhenya, Belokurov only said that she did not live at home and was unknown where.”
Anton Chekhov, "House with a Mezzanine"
In the play The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov portrayed the Russian aristocracy as doomed and degenerating. In place of the nobles bogged down in debt and unable to think pragmatically, a new man comes - a merchant, enterprising and modern. In the play, he became Ermolai Lopakhin, who suggested to the owner of the estate, Lyubov Ranevskaya, “to divide the cherry orchard and the land along the river into dacha plots and then rent them out for dachas.” Ranevskaya resolutely rejected Lopakhin’s proposal, although it would have brought huge profits and would have helped pay off debts. Chekhov shows readers: a new time has come, in which economics and pure calculation reign. But aristocrats with a fine mental organization are living out their days and will soon disappear.
“The scenery of the first act. There are no curtains on the windows, no paintings, there is only a little furniture left, which is folded in one corner, as if for sale. It feels empty. Suitcases, travel items, etc. are stacked near the exit door and at the back of the stage.”
Anton Chekhov, "The Cherry Orchard"
Ivan Bunin
Ivan Bunin, a representative of an impoverished noble family, the “last classic” of Russian literature, more than once turned to the theme of a noble estate in his work. The events unfolded at the dacha in the novel “The Life of Arsenyev”, and in the collection of short stories “Dark Alleys”, and in the story “Mitya’s Love”, and, of course, in the story “At the Dacha”.
Bunin's estate is not just a place of action, but a full-fledged hero of the work with his own character and constantly changing mood. In Bunin's first works, country houses are inextricably linked with the cultural traditions of the nobility, an established way of life and their own customs. The dachas are always quiet, green, well-fed and crowded. This is the estate in the stories “Tanka”, “On the Farm”, “Antonov Apples”, “Village”, “Sukhodol”.
“The clucking of chickens was heard loudly and cheerfully from the yard. There was still the silence of a bright summer morning in the house. The living room was connected to the dining room by an arch, and adjoining the dining room was another small room, all filled with palm trees and oleanders in tubs and brightly illuminated by amber sunlight. The canary was fussing there in a swaying cage, and you could hear how sometimes grains of seed were falling, clearly falling to the floor.”
Ivan Bunin, “At the Dacha”
In 1917, the writer witnessed the mass destruction of the world of noble nests that was dear and close to him. In 1920, Ivan Bunin left Russia forever - he emigrated to France. In Paris, Bunin wrote a cycle of stories “Dark Alleys”, the story “Mitya’s Love” and the novel “The Life of Arsenyev”.
“The estate was small, the house was old and simple, the farming was simple and did not require a lot of housekeeping - life began quietly for Mitya.”
Ivan Bunin, "Mitya's Love"
In all works one can feel the bitterness of loss - of one’s home, homeland and life’s harmony. His emigrant noble nests, although doomed to destruction, keep memories of the world of childhood and youth, the world of ancient noble life.
Landscape design is becoming increasingly popular not only among owners of mansions, but also among amateur gardeners. It can be quite difficult to make your several hundred square meters cozy, elegant, and at the same time practical. The most difficult task sometimes becomes to decide on site design ideas. Inspiration for garden landscaping can be found in Russian estates of the 19th century. 
Russian estates of the 19th century as a source of inspiration
The 19th century in Russia is associated with light luxury; pictures of leisurely gentlemen strolling in the shade of green park alleys appear before our eyes. Often, such parks were adjacent to the territory of noble estates. The passion for landscape design, which began at the end of the 18th century, grew into a separate branch of art in the 19th century. Despite the fact that Russia geographically covers many climatic zones, landscape architects of that time managed to create magnificent parks and gardens. Any garden area was divided into zones: for walking, for relaxation, for work. 
Russian design was initially based on a regular style, that is, all elements had clear boundaries and regular shapes. This style was taken from Europe and combined various architectural eras: from Baroque to Renaissance. And only in the 19th century the oriental fashion for landscape landscapes came to Russia. At that time, the design began to change, plants were planted in such a way as to seem part of nature, slightly carelessly, but absolutely harmoniously.
They were very popular among wealthy gentlemen. An obligatory attribute of the garden design were paved paths that passed under the arches of trees and led to the house itself. The connection between the housing and the site was carried out by building terraces or gazebos. Such structures were made spacious and bright so that time could be spent in them without fuss.
Despite the fact that Russian style borrows many ideas from other cultures, it has its own individual characteristic. Also inIn the 19th century, usable space was allocated to personal plots. Seasonal vegetables were grown on it. Also, the concept of a “pharmacy garden” appeared - a small plot on which medicinal herbs were planted.
For a long time, the Russian style was not considered by modern designers as a separate direction in creating landscapes. 
When architects and garden designers paid attention to it, they found many interesting garden ideas and began to put them into practice.
- The emergence of such a concept as a dacha is one of the latest revolutions in the development of Russian landscape design. To apply the Russian style in the garden, you do not have to be the owner of a dacha plot of one hectare. All the main ideas of this design direction can be harmoniously placed on several hundred square meters of dacha territory. The main zones of the Russian style include: The main element is always the house . It comes from him central road
- through other design elements.. Flower beds are traditionally located here: in the 19th century, hyacinths and tulips were popular.
- A seating area is required. Here you can build a small gazebo.
- A traditional feature of the Russian style is vegetable garden area. At dachas at the end of the 20th century, the vegetable garden began to occupy almost the entire area of the plot.
- Front garden. In this area you can plant trees and lay out a path.
- Economic zone.
Each element in the Russian style carries a design load; several main features can be identified: borders from, small architectural forms, paths laid out in a loose line. 
For the garden, you can choose both annual plants and. In the area in front of the house, annual flowers are usually planted in flower beds. Daffodils, tulips, marigolds, and asters work well. Such flowers, planted in a chaotic manner, will set the tone for the house and also visually expand the area.
Interesting! In the 19th century, housewives of manor houses planted plants on their property in warmer months, not in flower beds, but in pots. And with the onset of cold weather, the flowers were brought back into the house.
Of the trees on a summer cottage, both fruit varieties (cherry, apple, pear) and evergreen ones (spruce, pine) will look advantageous. Don't forget about linden, willow and birch. These trees can be used to plant a magnificent cascade, creating a shady alley. Under trees, it is recommended to plant plants that do not require a lot of sun, for example, or lily of the valley.
It is best to plant fragrant plants near the recreation area. Thyme, mint, oregano will give the air a unique aroma of freshness and help create an atmosphere for relaxation.
An excellent idea for your garden, if the area allows, would be. The pond can be decorated with decorative architectural elements in the form of small sculptures.
Russian country in interior and landscape design
Rustic style or Russian country is increasingly gaining popularity. Many ideas for the garden and home can be taken not only from the design of the 19th century, but also from other eras. Country style implies slight negligence, chaos. At the same time, the entire design looks absolutely harmonious. Particular attention should be paid to paths. Even if the path is paved with tiles, it is best to leave small gaps so that grass can penetrate through them. Such a path will harmoniously combine with the mood of nature. You can revive your summer cottage with the help of various decorative elements made by yourself. New ideas for a summer house and garden can be found in the photo:
Arrangement of a recreation area. Not too cozy for a personal garden, but you can borrow a harmonious combination of a fence, paths, gazebo and white birch trunks.
This photo explains a little what the English garden and the Russian estate of the 19th century have in common - a certain melancholy and at the same time dignity and respectability.
“Wild” moments can be played out in different ways, but in any case, thick, rich, slightly careless and mysterious greenery is one of the hallmarks of the Russian style.
The interior in Russian country is also rich in different ideas. You can start with the appearance of the house. It is not necessary to build a wooden hut. To give a rustic style, you can use facing material in the form of beams. Carved shutters on the windows are well suited for Russian-style interiors. The interior design of the house depends on the preferences of the owners. The cottage can be furnished with solid wood furniture. Or, on the contrary, the decoration can be light and lace. For Russian country, decoupage of furniture and the use of lace, for example, on a tablecloth, are suitable. Fresh flowers and wooden dishes as decor will always look great.
We must remember! Country style does not imply a chaotic warehouse of everything unnecessary. Russian country music is just a semblance of negligence.
How not to create a fake Russian style
It’s easy to get confused in all the variety of beautiful landscape ideas of the Russian style. The main thing is to avoid common mistakes when creating your own garden:
- Russian style does not tolerate clutter; its main feature is space. If the dacha plot does not allow you to create all the elements of the Russian style, it is better not to use them all. In such cases, only those that the owners like best are retained.
- The main mistake when creating a Russian style at the dacha is the use of a lawn. It should be completely abandoned.
- Avoid using sharp corners and strict shapes.
- The color scheme of the Russian style is always harmonious. You should not use a combination of too bright shades in one area.
Modern style “Russian estate” in the landscape
When creating landscape design, more and more designers are using the Russian estate style or, as it is usually called, “Russian style”. This design move is especially popular in areas that are located in close proximity to a forest or a river.
Modern Russian style contains all the basic ideas for a beautiful garden , borrowed from 19th century architects. Modern designers carefully select flowering plants that are suitable for a particular climate zone. Flowers in a modern style are the main element of the garden. In the middle of the central path leading from the house to the gate, designers suggest installing flower beds. All flowers in them must be combined in size and color.
Particular attention is also paid coniferous trees. If there are none on the site, then the designers suggest planting large trees. To complete the picture of the estate, designers add modern light gazebos and benches, which look harmonious in the recreation area, next to the central flower bed.
Reconstruction of an abandoned garden
A neglected garden is not a reason to be upset. Especially if fruit trees or shrubs of various types are planted on it. From such a garden you can get an almost ready-made Russian country style. Grown flowers and plants, if trimmed, can be used as borders for the path.
In cases where there are climbing plant species in abandoned areas, they will make a great pergola. Old household utensils can be used as decorative elements for the garden. The abandoned area should be diluted with new planted flowers in the same color scheme as the wild plants.
Flower garden in country style
A small detail can make the whole look. Such a bright flower garden will add color to an ordinary summer cottage and will not require any special investment.
