The nobility and severity of architectural forms, combined with expensive, in a merchant's lush, decor

Passing the gallery

A photo: Evgeny Luchin, Mikhail Stepanov

Text: Tatyana Konstantinova

Magazine: (53)

Some Moscow mansions are interesting for their unique architecture, others for their “biography”. But there are those who are famous for both. For example, an old house in Leontief lane, in which the Greek Embassy has been located for more than forty years Someone may be surprised that the facade of this house "looks" not into the street, but into the courtyard. So it was built up to the decree of Peter I, who demanded "to see the facade" only from the roadway. But while the essence of the matter, Prince Gregory Meshchersky built himself stone chambers according to the old Moscow tradition in the middle of the 18th century: a narrow butt-end to the street, and a facade to the main courtyard and extensive garden. After Meshchersky, the estate in Leontievsky Pereulok was owned by the Counts Saltykovs, Princes Bagration, Rzhevskys and Dolgorukys. During the fire in 1812, the wards suffered greatly. In this form, they acquired the captain of the Life Guards Semenov regiment Nikolai Volkov. He turned the old chambers into a typically Moscow Empire, with an extensive colonnade of the portico consisting of twelve Doric columns grouped in pairs, behind which is a deep loggia. Despite the length of the portico, the house was both elegant and representative. So much so that he liked the Moscow governor-general, Count Arseny Zakrevsky, appointed by Nicholas I, to "pull up" Moscow. The rough martinet replaced the liberal Prince Alexei Shcherbatov. Witty Muscovites excelled in versification, such as "Prince Shcherbatov galloped off. And the notorious Zakrevsky fell at the city of the Congrevo rocket on a sleeping city!" In the meantime, Zakrevskys gave magnificent balls in a manor bought in 1858 from the heirs of Captain Volkov. Numerous guests were attracted, of course, not by the stern owner, and his wife, Countess Agrafena Fyodorovna, was tall and full of beauty. Vyazemsky nicknamed her "Copper Venus". Many wonderful poems are dedicated to her. A special place is occupied by Pushkin's lines. The great poet was fascinated by the Copper Venus:Your confessions, gentle complaints I catch greedily every cry: The passions of insane and rebellious How delightful language! After Zakrevsky's departure to Florence, the house in Leontyevsky Lane passed on to new owners, the Sorokomovsky merchants, who were selling furs. Pavel Sorokoumovsky headed one of the most famous Moscow firms, founded in 1809. The real glory came to Sorokomovsky when they won the competition - they got the honorable right to restore the main regalia of the Russian tsars, the Monomakh's cap, trimmed with a dark sable. After completing the second order of the imperial family - the manufacture of ermine mantles for the coronation of Nicholas II - House "Pavel Sorokoumovsky and Sons" was granted the highest title Supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty. According to the tradition that existed in Russia, the eldest son inherited the family nest. After Peter Pavlovich Sorokoumovsky accepted the work of his father, he gave the interior of his father’s mansion more grace. Intricate chandeliers, elegant mirrors, mantel clocks, pictures appeared in the house ... Which, however, is not surprising. For the Russian merchants at that time passionately fond of art. The company’s centennial in 1909 was solemnly celebrated, with a real merchant scale, a succession of magnificent receptions and balls. The Queen of the festivities was the beautiful Hungarian Maria Bauer, the wife of Nikolai Petrovich - the last "king of Russian fur" from the Sorokomovsky dynasty. Maria lived a long life. And in 1961, shortly before her death, she came to the building of the Greek Embassy for the last time to look at her luxurious palace, in return for which, after the October Revolution, she received two tiny rooms with no amenities in Izmailovo. Fortunately, this fate passed her father-in-law: Peter Pavlovich, retired with his wife and daughters, was in Nice during the revolution ... Now his great-granddaughter lives in Moscow - a famous harpist, Honored Artist of Russia, soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonic Society Maria Sorokoumovskaya . The current owner of the Copper Venus Mansion, the Greek Ambassador to Russia, Mr. Dimitrios Kipreos, is also a passionate lover of music. Speaking about himself, he immediately noticed that he could well be called a music lover. His collection of music records has thousands of discs. She settled in a small red room. This is the favorite room. Mr Ambassador, where, alone, he indulges the true pleasure of wonderful sounds. Mr. Kipreos was previously a consul in Milan; The Ambassador’s current stay in Russia, being an admirer and subtle connoisseur of art, regards not only the fulfillment of his diplomatic mission, but also an excellent opportunity to learn more about Russian history and culture. “The proof of how we relate to Russia,” says the ambassador, “is in a colossal repair that lasted for almost two years and restored the former luxury and former greatness to the building. And I must note that the calendar “History of Embassies in Moscow”, published by the General Directorate for the Maintenance of the Diplomatic Corps, includes our embassy among the most beautiful buildings of foreign missions ... The restoration was entrusted to experienced architect Elena Malchevskaya, who specializes in interiors of the 18th and 19th centuries . Her main task was to return the magical spirit of the past to the state-owned building. The architect used the techniques of the old masters. By playing with colors (warm and cold hues) under the “expensive bottle” she created the impression of a luxurious interior. Ambassador personally participated in the discussion of the project. “It is a pleasure for me to rebuild or modify something, I cannot put up with any restrictions,” reflects Mr. Dimitrios Kipreos. - Once about the activities of the great Le Corbusier said that he had already said the last word in modern architecture. Thought further - a dead end. Nevertheless, the architecture continues to evolve. Evolution is inevitable. For example, the interior of my home in Athens is in the neoclassical style: furniture of the nineteenth century, a lot of books and records, the walls are completely covered with paintings. But now I am inclined to arrange my home in the spirit of minimalism, so that there are few things and a lot of free space. The main thing is that the house should reflect the inner world of a person, his worldview ... Reflecting on the fate of the old Moscow house in Leontief, you understand that such different stages of his two-hundred-year-old life are united by a certain spiritual continuity. Namely - belonging of several generations of the owners to the Orthodox tradition. The former owners, although they were secular people, did not think of a single holiday without an invitation from the clergy. The clergy and now - frequent guests at the Greek embassy. Not so long ago, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II and the Most Blessed Archbishop of Athens and All Hellas Christodoulus honored the embassy with their presence. So, indeed, the spirit of Christianity in this house is eternal.