Christmas gifts to Alexander Palace | Tsarskoe Selo State Museum and Heritage Site

24.12.2020

Early 20th century Christmas card from Tsarskoe Selo collectionEarly 20th century Christmas card from Tsarskoe Selo collection Mr Larry Hokanson of Hokanson Carpets, who donated "Wilton" carpet for Palisander Drawing Room

Mr Larry Hokanson of Hokanson Carpets, who donated "Wilton" carpet for Palisander Drawing RoomMr Larry Hokanson of Hokanson Carpets, who donated "Wilton" carpet for Palisander Drawing Room Fragments of original Wilton carpet from Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by Hokanson

Fragments of original Wilton carpet from Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by HokansonFragments of original Wilton carpet from Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by Hokanson Re-created "Wilton" carpet in Palisander Drawing Room, December 2020

Re-created "Wilton" carpet in Palisander Drawing Room, December 2020Re-created "Wilton" carpet in Palisander Drawing Room, December 2020 Donators of re-created fabric for curtains of Nicholas II's State Study: director Natalia Taraskina of Tissura (center) and Fabrik Frontlain's founders André and Elsa Stutz, in 2011

Donators of re-created fabric for curtains of Nicholas II's State Study: director Natalia Taraskina of Tissura (center) and Fabrik Frontlain's founders André and Elsa Stutz, in 2011Donators of re-created fabric for curtains of Nicholas II's State Study: director Natalia Taraskina of Tissura (center) and Fabrik Frontlain's founders André and Elsa Stutz, in 2011 Re-created curtains of Nicholas II's State Study in 2020

Re-created curtains of Nicholas II's State Study in 2020Re-created curtains of Nicholas II's State Study in 2020 Fragments of original fabric from State Study in Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by Tissura (Russia) and Fabrik Frontlain (Switzerland)

Fragments of original fabric from State Study in Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by Tissura (Russia) and Fabrik Frontlain (Switzerland)Fragments of original fabric from State Study in Tsarskoe Selo collection and replica by Tissura (Russia) and Fabrik Frontlain (Switzerland) General director Janusz Szymaniak of Renaissance Restoration Workshops and Director N.V. Orlova of Le Lux with re-created pillows and cushions for sofas in Mauve Room, 2020

General director Janusz Szymaniak of Renaissance Restoration Workshops and Director N.V. Orlova of Le Lux with re-created pillows and cushions for sofas in Mauve Room, 2020General director Janusz Szymaniak of Renaissance Restoration Workshops and Director N.V. Orlova of Le Lux with re-created pillows and cushions for sofas in Mauve Room, 2020 Pillows and cushions for Mauve Room and historical upholstery samples from Tsarskoe Selo collection

Pillows and cushions for Mauve Room and historical upholstery samples from Tsarskoe Selo collectionPillows and cushions for Mauve Room and historical upholstery samples from Tsarskoe Selo collection Japanese reed mat in Moorish Room, photograph of 1930s

Japanese reed mat in Moorish Room, photograph of 1930sJapanese reed mat in Moorish Room, photograph of 1930s

At the end of 2020, when the interior finishing works are almost completed in the reconstructed rooms of Nicholas II and Alexandra Fyodorovna, we would like to thank all our friends and partners who have been bringing gifts to the Alexander Palace all these years.

Today we particularly mention four special gifts. Each one of them is the result of a laborious and complex process involving the careful study of objects in our collection, which served as samples for the replicas of lost furnishings that finally take their places in the Palisander Drawing Room, the Mauve Room, the Moorish Room and the State Study.

The first gift in the 21st century came from Mr Larry Hokanson, an American carpet designer who founded his company in 1987. A globally known name in high-end carpets, Hokanson creates sophisticated and decorative designs for residential and other markets appreciating simple elegance, beauty, nature and cultural traditions. The designer marked his 30th anniversary in business by creating a personal collection named Istorii (stories), drawing from his love of Russian history and travel.

Based on a sample from our historical collection, Hokanson undertook to recreate the Wilton carpet for the Palisander Drawing Room, which was lost in WWII. That carpet with a simple yet delicate floral design over a purple background had a distinctive weave typical of vintage English handmade wool carpets. Hokanson Carpets (now part of Scott Group) was able to exactly replicate the sophisticated weaving technique, colour and pattern. The perfectly replicated "Wilton" carpet was handed over to the museum in 2003, when St Petersburg celebrated its 300th anniversary. It has been stored in our reserve collection and is now laid in the reconstructed Palisander Drawing Room.

The second gift was brought to us before the current restoration began. In 2011, the Swiss company Fabrik Frontlain with the financial support of Tissura studied another sample from our collection and re-created the hyacinth fabric for the curtains in the State Study of Nicholas II. Director Ms Natalia Taraskina of Tissura and Fabrik Frontlain's founders Mr André Stutz and Ms Elsa Stutz handed the fabric to Tsarskoe Selo in the Semi-Circular Hall of the Alexander Palace.

The third gift was brought in 2020 by Mr Janusz Anzhey Szymaniak, general director of the Renaissance Restoration Workshops. He donated the sets of pillows and cushions for sofas in the Mauve Room. They are made by the St Petersburg company Le Lux from the fabric re-created after a historical sample at the Rubelli manufactory in Italy, with the silk tassels intricately woven at the Re Kon Art company in Poland.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the fourth special gift is late due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But next year the Moorish Room, a.k.a. the Tsar's Bathroom, will have a special reed mat of traditional Japanese weaving – just like the one that decorated and protected its walls before. The difficult task of acquiring and delivering the mat has been resolved thanks to Mr Akiyuki Tsutsui, Vice Consul for Cultural Affairs at the Japanese Consulate General in St Petersburg.

Tsarskoe Selo thanks everyone involved in the revival of the Alexander Palace and extends our Season's Greetings and best wishes for the New Year to all.