#russian nobility
Princess Golitsyna Sofya Alexandrovna in a Russian court dress
Princess Zinaida Ivanovna Yusupova, neeNaryshkina
« … the names of Countess Zavadovskaya, Ficquelmont, lady-in-waiting Princess Urusova and the young Naryshkina, later Princess Yusupova, were heard on everyone’s lips. All of them were written beauties, all of them were stars of the first magnitude of the St. Petersburg high society …»
© Count V.A. Sollogub
«Tall, thin, with a charming waist, with a completely sculpted head, she has beautiful black eyes, a very lively face with a cheerful expression that suits her so wonderfully…»
© Countess Dorothea «Dolly» Ficquelmont
«When I left Moscow, I hoped to be happy soon, linking my life with the life of Zeneida. But Maman, against whose will I would never dare to go, asked me to postpone the wedding. My chagrin was so great because of this delay that I almost fell ill.»
© Prince Boris Nikolaevich Yusupov, first husband of Zinaida.
«No less noticeable is the excessively prolonged and all-consuming flirtation of the charming Princess Yusupova with Gervais, an officer of the Chevalier Guard Regiment. She is of universal interest, because she is young in spirit, as well as in years, cheerful, naive, innocent. With amazing simplicity, she surrendered herself to the power of her feelings. It’s as if she doesn’t see the trap set in front of her and behaves at balls as if they are the only two in the whole world with Gervais…»
© Countess Dolly Ficquelmont
«My great-grandmother was a written beauty, lived merrily, had more than one adventure…
Even though she was an old woman, she remained a beauty and maintained a regal manner and posture. She was sitting rouged, perfumed, in a red wig and a bunch of pearl beads…»
© Felix Yusupov, great-grandson of Princess Zinaida Yusupova.
Portrait of Alexandra Ivanovna Anikeeva
Irina’s wedding dress was magnificent; it was of white satin embroidered in silver, with a long train. Her face veil, which had belonged to Marie Antoinette, was held by a tiara of rock crystal and diamonds.
The question of what I should wear gave rise to lively discussions. I firmly refused to appear in a tail coat in the daytime, but all the suggestions made raised a storm of protest. Finally the uniform of the nobility - a black frock coat with collar and lapels embroidered in gold, and white broadcloth trousers - was decided on.
Lost Splendor: The Amazing Memoirs of the Man Who Killed Rasputin
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Sophia V. Orlova-Denisova by Pimen Orlov, 1835.
Maid-of-honour to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna from 1834 to 1837. (x)
‘St Peterburg is occupied with the transformations in the attire of ladies-in-waiting and ladies of the court. They say they have come up with a national costume which these ladies shall be obliged to wear for major occasions at the court. It is something like a Frenchified sarafan.’ Pavel Divov, 1833.
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