Demidov, Anatoly Nikolayevich

(17.04.1812 - 28.04.1870)
Russia envoy in Florence Nikolai Demidov, grandson of the famous Nikita Demidov, possessed not only dozens of factories in the Urals and Siberia, but also the richest Mines, where they mined the famed Russian malachite. Envoy's Palace in San Donato was decorated with so many items and things from the Ural green stone that admire these treasures came from all over Italy and even from other European countries.
. However, the sons Nikolai Demidov went further
. Elder, Paul, on the project itself Auguste Montferrand built for himself in St. Petersburg at the Grand Sea Palace, in which the interior room was entirely decorated with malachite. By the way, this was the first in the world Malachite Room. Meanwhile, Jr., Anatoly, with 24 thousand rubles of daily (!) Income, continued to enhance the beauty get to him by inheritance estate in the San Donato. In order to want to admire the splendor of his "nest" is not experience any discomfort, he put stagecoaches from San Donato in every major city in central Italy, and even got three thousand personal guard, dressed in his same contrived form.
. Only one constantly annoy Anatolia: naezzhaya in Petersburg, he has never treated the king's invitation to the Winter Palace
. Nicholas I disliked Demidova, Jr., not only for merchants' habits, how much for what his whim of Russia swam huge funds.
. Build relationships with the autocrat could, following the lead of his elder brother, who every year brought large sums to charity, including the development of Russia's science and culture
. But Anatoly chose another path. He decided that the door to the Winter Palace to open his princely title, who bought a rake and drunken friend. When to Nicholas I heard a rumor about this shameful transaction, the emperor said: "Let him there only remains the prince."
. Then Anatoly intent on paving his way into the royal palace with the help of renowned wife and married Princess Mathilde de Montfort, niece of the Napoleon
. But the trouble, family life, almost from the outset had no luck. Russian Domostroy princess fell not to the liking. After her husband several times flogged her, tied to the bed - not for anything, but simply "to know the place" - she was divorced. By the way, very good conditions: the amount of annual maintenance amounted to 200 thousand rubles, and when you consider that Matilda, having parted with his younger Demidov, who lived another 62 years, it is almost 12 and a half million.
. So having failed to obtain the favor of Nicholas I, Anatoly conceived to resort to yet another, this time, it would seem the most sure way
. He was ordered to Italy to deliver a large shipment of high-quality Russian malachite and ordered the best European masters, including the Paris firm SP-F. Thomire, a canopy-rotunda, which eclipsed his glory known to all the world masterpieces of stone cutting.
Indeed, the rotunda was a truly unique work of art. At its production took about one and a half tons of selected, highly paint green risunchatogo stone, and in addition, rhodonite-orlets, lapis lazuli, serpentine, not to mention the bronze, gold and expensive colored Italian marble. The height of the rotunda - nearly seven meters in diameter - three meters. Eight slender columns of malachite, made way Florentine mosaics, rest on a stone podium of colored stones. Beautiful gilded dome with inserts of malachite and other semi-precious stones adorned with laurel wreaths, scrolls, acanthus rosettes, chased out of gilded bronze. In 1834, this masterpiece, which has the form of garden rotunda, was shown in Paris at the exhibition and was universal admiration.
. After paying for the work of 2 million rubles, the tycoon rejoined to the rotunda of a bust of Nicholas I, who ought to set inside the hall, and sent a gift of the monarch.
. Nevertheless, the emperor treated the gift without any enthusiasm
. "Why was he picked up that I ever was in this cage!" - Slyly remarked the king, and, ordering it to establish a wonder in one of the halls of the Winter, he immediately changed his mind and sent her to the warehouse inventory of the palace at the Tauride Palace.
. They stood and malachite rotunda until 1862, when Alexander II gave it to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery to serve as the location of the king during the Te Deum
. Laurus, naturally, very proud of the unique canopy. Many came to the church of Saint Petersburg specifically to enjoy the miracle.
Have passed nine decades, and a unique shade again changed its shelter. In 1952 at the initiative of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Leningrad rotunda transferred to the Hermitage. Now, as has been said, for perpetual storage.