For a long time, among the representatives of the highest Russian aristocracy there were patrons who contributed to the development of Russian art. Their activities made it possible to reveal many folk talents, which contributed to the rise to a new level of the spiritual life of the country. Among them was Count Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev, whose biography became the basis for writing this article.
Heir of untold riches
Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev was born on July 9, 1751. By the will of fate, he became the heir to one of the richest and most distinguished noble families in Russia. His father, Pyotr Borisovich, the head of the Sheremetev family, became the owner of one of the largest fortunes in the country, having profitably married the daughter of a prominent statesman, the chancellor of Russia, Prince A. M. Cherkassky.
At one time he was widely known as a philanthropist and patron of art. The most valuable collections of paintings, porcelain and jewelry were kept in the palaces of St. Petersburg and Moscow that belonged to Pyotr Borisovich. However, its main glory was the home theater, the performances of which were sometimes visited even by members of thereigning House.
Growing up in a family where performing arts were perceived as one of the highest manifestations of spirituality, his son Nikolai fell in love with the stage from an early age and at the age of 14 he already made his debut, performing the part of the god Hymen. Together with him, his friend, the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Pavel, took part in the performances of his father's theater.
Foreign voyage of a young count
In 1769, Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev went to Europe, where, as a representative of the noblest and richest Russian family, he was represented at the courts of France, Prussia and England. He completed his journey in Holland, where he entered one of the most prestigious educational institutions of that time - Leiden University.
But the young count devoted his time to more than just academic disciplines. Rotating in the highest circles of European society, he personally met many progressive people of that era, among whom were the famous composers Handel and Mozart. In addition, taking advantage of the opportunity, Nikolai Petrovich thoroughly studied theatrical and ballet art, and also improved in playing the piano, cello and violin - instruments that he had been learning to master since childhood.
Departure for Moscow
On his return to Russia, Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev was appointed director of the Moscow Bank and was forced to change the ceremonial St. Petersburg for a quiet and patriarchal Moscow. It is known that Empress Catherine II, fearing the possibility of a coup d'état, under plausible pretexts removedfrom the capital of all friends and possible accomplices of his son, Tsarevich Paul. Since Sheremetev had a long friendship with the heir to the throne, he also fell into the number of undesirable people at the court.
Once in this “honorable exile”, Nikolai Petrovich did not consider himself deprived of fate, but, taking advantage of the opportunity, began the construction of a new theater building in the Kuskovo family estate near Moscow. Since that time, the Sheremetev fortress theater began to give performances on two stages - in the previously erected extension to their house on Nikolskaya Street and in the newly rebuilt building in Kuskovo (the photo of the latter is placed below).
Fortress Theater of Count Sheremetev
According to contemporaries, the performances of any serf theater in Russia of those years could not compete with the level of productions of the Sheremetev troupe. Thanks to the knowledge acquired abroad, Nikolai Petrovich was able to provide high artistic design for performances, as well as create a professional orchestra. Particular attention was paid to the composition of the troupe, recruited from the serfs belonging to him.
Having recruited artists from among the most gifted peasants, the count spared no effort and money to train them in stage skills. As teachers, professional actors of the Imperial Petrovsky Theater were discharged. In addition, Count Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev sent newly-minted actors to study at his own expense not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg, where, in addition to basic disciplines, they studied foreign languages, literature andversification.
As a result, the performances of the Kuskovsky Theater, which opened in 1787, attracted all aristocratic Moscow, as well as guests from the capital, including members of the royal family. The popularity of his troupe was so great that the owners of other private Moscow theaters complained to the mayor that, for the sake of his amusement, the count - a man already fabulously rich - beats off their audience and deprives them of income. Meanwhile, for Nikolai Petrovich, serving Melpomene was never fun. Now the theater has become the main business of his life.
Architectural Heritage of the Count
Another hobby of Count Sheremetev was architecture. With sufficient funds, in two decades he built many buildings recognized as true masterpieces of Russian architecture. Among them are theater and palace complexes in Ostankino and Kuskovo, houses in Gatchina and Pavlovsk, the Hospice House in Moscow (photo above), the Fountain House in St. Petersburg and a number of other structures, including several Orthodox churches.
Period of royal favors
A sharp turn in the life of the count came in 1796, when after the death of Catherine II the Russian throne was taken by her son Pavel. Feeling sincere affection for Sheremetev, as a friend of his childhood, one of his first decrees granted him the rank of chief marshal and thus introduced him to the number of the most influential state dignitaries.
From now on, orders, titles, privileges, gift estates and other royal favors rained down on himone by one. Since 1799, he was the director of the imperial theaters, and after some time - the head of the Corps of Pages. However, during these years, Sheremetev tried to achieve something completely different from the emperor, and the further story will be about this.
Love for a fortress actress
The fact is that by the age of 45, Count Sheremetev Nikolai Petrovich was not married. Possessing a colossal fortune, which made him richer than the emperor himself, and excellent appearance, the count was the most enviable groom in Russia, many brides from the upper strata of society dreamed of marriage.
However, the serf actress of his theater Praskovya Zhemchugova firmly occupied the count's heart. Possessing amazing natural beauty and a wonderful voice, she nevertheless remained in the eyes of society just a serf girl - the daughter of a rural blacksmith.
Once upon a time in childhood, the count noticed this vociferous girl and, having given her a decent upbringing, made her a first-class actress, whose talent tirelessly applauded the most demanding spectators. Her real name is Kovaleva, Zhemchugova was made by the count himself, considering such a stage name more sonorous.
Obstacles to Marriage
However, the existing traditions did not allow them to legitimize the relationship. From the point of view of the aristocracy, it is one thing to enjoy the singing of a serf actress, and quite another to allow her to enter the high society, recognizing her equal. An important role was also played by the protests of the numerous relatives of the count, who saw Praskovya as a contender for the inheritance. It is curious to note that in that era, people of the acting profession generally had such a low status that it was even forbidden to bury them in the church fence.
Of course, in such an environment, marriage was impossible. The only way out of this situation could be given by the highest permission, with a request for which Sheremetev addressed personally to the emperor, hoping that Paul I would make an exception for him from the general rule. However, even the memory of childhood friendship did not force the autocrat to break the order that had been established for centuries.
Desired but short-lived marriage
Only after the assassination of Paul I by the conspirators, the count managed to carry out his plan by forging the documents of his fiancee, as a result of which Praskovya Zhemchugova became listed as the Polish noblewoman Paraskeva Kovalevskaya. Alexander I, who succeeded his father on the throne, gave Sheremetev consent to the marriage, but even in this case, the wedding was secret, held on November 8, 1801 in one of the small Moscow churches.
In 1803, a son was born in the Sheremetev family, who received the name of Dmitry in holy baptism. However, the joy of the father soon turned into grief: twelve days after the birth of the child, his wife Praskovya died, unable to recover from childbirth.
Building a Hospice
From ancient times in Orthodox Russia, there was such a custom: when a loved one died, for the repose of his soul, spend money on charitable deeds. Voluntary donations could be different - everything depended on material possibilities. Sheremetev, in memory of his deceased wife, built a Hospice House in Moscow, in the premises of which today the Research Institute of Emergency Care named after A. I. Sklifosovsky (photo No. 4).
The construction of this building, well known to Muscovites, was carried out under the guidance of an outstanding architect of Italian origin - Giacomo Quarenghi, who was a passionate admirer and connoisseur of the talent of the late actress. Created exclusively for the poor and disadvantaged people, the Hospice House was designed to house 50 patients who received inpatient treatment, as well as 100 "nursed", that is, the poor who had no means of subsistence. In addition, there was a shelter for 25 orphaned girls.
To ensure the financing of this institution, the count deposited sufficient capital for those times in the bank into his account, and also signed off several villages with serf souls for the maintenance of the Hospice House. In addition to direct expenses, from these funds, according to the will of the count, it was necessary to help families in trouble and annually allocate certain amounts for dowries for poor brides.
The end of the Count's life
Nikolai Petrovich died on January 1, 1809, having outlived his wife by only six years. He spent the last years of his life in his St. Petersburg palace, known as the Fountain House (photo that completes the article). His ashes, resting in the Sheremetev tomb of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, were interred in a simple wooden coffin, since the count bequeathed all the money allocated for the funeral to be distributedthe poor.
