The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-13
PRICE 5 CENTS.
THE WINTER PALACE.

Russia's Most Celebrated Structure from
an Artistic Point of View.
The initiative of the Russians in art
and in civilization is limited. Hitherto
they have displayed greater aptitude
for copying than for original concep-
ton, and even for their copies they
have had recourse to Western artists,
particularly to Italian architects like
Quarenghi, Rossi and Count Rastrell1
The last is responsible both for the
outside and the inside of the Winter
Palace. This enormous structure was
begun in 1892, finished in 1852.
partly burned in 1887, but re-
built in 1889 from the original
arawin2s. 1t is a broad rectangular
block, four stories or about 80 feet
high, with Il frontage 455 feet in length:
and breadth of $50 feet, one facade
parallel with the Neva, another look
ing toward the Admiralty. the third
facing the vast Alexander Palace. and
the fourth (blind) facade backing up
to the adjoining Hermitage Place.
with which it communicates by means
of covered bridge. The proportions
of this palace are not commendable;
she style of architecture is very bonn
bastic rocco; the decoration is over
charged with statues, caryatides. ,
iower-pots, grenades, and trumpery
accessories; the cheap stucco sur 4,
face of it's facades - mercilessly
broken up by pilasters, water
spouts, and windows so that the eye
nowhere finds repose-is washed with
B. brownish red terra-cotta color
picked out with lighter tone of yell
low. The iron roof is painted red.
The outside of this palace is abso-
tutely without charm or merit OF any
kind; it's only claim to notice is its
immensely, which, by-the-way, accord
ing to Russian notions, is a very con-
siderable claim. The interior is q
saddening example of the bad taste
which seems to characterize crowned
heads of all nations, whether the Rus
sian Gar, the Turkish Sultan, the
German Emperor or the British SOW
| ereign. The ornamentation is for the
| most part in rampageous rocaille
style, bright FURNISHED gold on white
wash or white imitation marble. Our
pen absolutely refuses to describe the
sham splendor of the imperial apart
ments, with their modern French
polished furniture and vile wood
carving, their massive screens glazed
with purple glass, their wall-hangings
of yellow and white, or rose and
green satin. The malachite room,
the Pompeiian room, the Maui
rescue bathroom, likewise failed
to transport us with admira-
ton. The corner that pleased US
best was Peter the Greats throne
room, whose walls were hung with soft
red velvet embroidered with golden
eagles. The ST. Georges Hall, a
parallelogram, 140 feet by 60 feet,
adorned with Corinthian columns of
real white marble with gilt basis and
capitals, is also fine room, perhaps
the finest in the whole palace. The
White Hall. the Golden Hall, and the
Nicholas Hall are chillingly white
show rooms, which require the anima-
ton of the court ceremonies and balls
and the glitter of lights and diamonds
in order to give them a picturesque
interest Finally we may notice the
state entrance to the palace from the
Neva Quay, called the Ambassadors
Stairs, of white Carrara marble, and
the vestibule, richly decorated and
gilded with Renaissance ornaments
and statuary. The staircase and the
ST. Georges Hall are the only two
parts of the Winter Palace that present
an aspect OF real grandeur and
majesty. Theodore Child, in Harper's
Magazine.