{"id":904,"date":"2018-11-16T10:21:18","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T14:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/?p=904"},"modified":"2018-11-16T10:21:18","modified_gmt":"2018-11-16T14:21:18","slug":"a-map-and-a-city-seeing-18th-century-st-petersburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/2018\/11\/16\/a-map-and-a-city-seeing-18th-century-st-petersburg\/","title":{"rendered":"A Map and a City: Seeing 18th Century St. Petersburg"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Zinaida Osipova<\/p>\n

When I first visited St. Petersburg, I knew that my smartphone would show me the way to the Winter Palace, Dostoyevsky\u2019s apartment, or anywhere else I wished. In an era of GPS and online maps, it is difficult to envision someone relying only on a paper map to get to their destination. It is even more difficult to imagine someone using the massive 1753 Plan of the Capital City of Saint Petersburg with the Images of Its Most Grand Avenues, Published by the Works of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts in St. Petersburg (Plan stolichnogo goroda Sankt-Peterburga s izobrazheniyem znatneyshikh onogo prospektov, izdanniy trudami Imperatorskoy akademii nauk I khudozhestv v Sankt-Peterburge)<\/em>. However, this is not due to publishers\u2019 lack of forethought; many maps of the period were not guides for direction but served to promote the government\u2019s view of the city and represented one aspect of the regime\u2019s turn for objective knowledge.[1]<\/a> Plan of the Capital City of Saint Petersburg <\/em>contains a bird\u2019s-eye view of the imperial capital and features images of \u201cits most grand avenues\u201d as the title suggests. Thus, the book allows us to \u201csee\u201d St. Petersburg fifty years after its establishment and to examine how the government represented its capital: a prosperous port city enjoying commercial activity and a lively urban atmosphere under the guidance of the Romanov dynasty.<\/p>\n

The book commemorated not only the fiftieth anniversary of the city, it also marked eleven years since Elizabeth Petrovna\u2019s accession to the throne. Under the editorship of I.F. Truscott, M.I. Makhaev drew the panoramas and J. Valeriani, G.A. Kachalov, A.A. Grekov and I.A. Sokolov were involved in preparing the engravings.[2]<\/a> The book starts with listing streets, rivers, churches, and public buildings in both Russian and French, which is telling about the intended audience. Foreigners could peruse the prints of bustling cityscapes knowing what they were seeing, and the Russian gentry could sense their belonging to the Western world. According to the office of the Academy of Sciences and Arts that published the book, the album was intended as a gift for Russian ambassadors abroad and for foreign royal libraries.[3]<\/a> In addition to the language, Westernization is transmitted through geometrically drawn streets and neighborhoods (as opposed to individualized features of little houses and onion domes in earlier Russian maps), which is especially prominent in the outer part of the city.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n

As opposed to modern maps, the top part of the 1753 map corresponds to the south of the city and the bottom \u2013 to the north. Peter and Paul Fortress is at the center of the map, and it is one of the landmarks that is depicted in a three-dimensional form. Such a representation sets it apart from the mass of the other places,\u00a0demonstrating its importance. Other buildings of importance, according to the cartographers, were churches, palaces, barns, two merchant yards (gosiny dvor<\/em>), shipyards and a harbor, an exchange, the Marine Market, Marine and Land Hospital, the Admiralty (Admiralteystvo<\/em>), the Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Library and Kuntskamera (cabinet of curiosities). As we see, these are the buildings emphasizing marine, scientific and commercial successes of the capital. Interestingly, as one of the goals of the project was to show the city as it should become in the nearest future, some of the buildings still under construction were placed on the map. Francesco Rastrelli likely sent the drafts for the Vorontsov Palace, finished in 1757, four years after the album had been published, and the Gostiny dvor<\/em>, finished only in 1785.[5]<\/a> The city\u2019s naval glory is further underlined by the drawing of several ships on the Neva River, demonstrating one of St. Petersburg\u2019s points of pride: in addition to being a capital with concomitant palaces, the port city boasts a ship-building industry and commercial activity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Gostiny dvor and Vorontsov palace\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ships next to the Stone Gostiny dvor and Exchange<\/p>\n

(top right of the Gostiny dvor)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The image of a prosperous port city is further reinforced by the engravings accompanying the map. Either a ship or a boat is present in every engraving of the book; if not the main object, it finds its way to the background. The majority of the sceneries are set on the river, while the others portray the city\u2019s grandeur and its busy life. There is a consistent theme of movement: ships, people, carriages, soldiers and workers are actively involved in the life of the capital. The images tell us that the city is thriving, and the movement symbolizes progress, possibly implying the city\u2019s ongoing development.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Avenue of Her Imperial Majecty\u2019s House from the North Side<\/p>\n

The bottom left corner of the map is taken by the monument dedicated to Elizabeth, \u201cdaughter of Peter the Great,\u201d connecting the glorified St. Petersburg with the legacy of its founder. At the top right corner, there is a coat of arms of the Russian Empire surrounded by attributes of scientific progress: a globe, books, a ruler, a protractor and a divider. Combined, this represents Russia\u2019s advances in science under the guidance of the Romanovs, and Elizabeth specifically.<\/p>\n

Plan of the Capital City of Saint Petersburg <\/em>allows us to see the outline of the city in the mid-eighteenth century, albeit with some purposeful inaccuracies. These inaccuracies and the engravings demonstrate the Empire\u2019s desired view of its capital. In addition to the map being a good representation of St. Petersbug\u2019s image (both real and imagined), it is one example of the imperial turn for objective information, as seen in the schematic outline of the map.<\/p>\n

The 1753 map superimposed on the current map of St. Petersburg (with free \u201cwandering\u201d) can be found here: http:\/\/www.etomesto.ru\/map-peterburg_1753\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pieces of the map combined. Image credit: Russian National Library<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/p>\n

Alekseeva, M.A. Introduction to \u041f\u043b\u0430\u043d <\/em>\u0421\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/em>\u0413\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0430 <\/em>\u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-<\/em>\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433\u0430 <\/em>\u0421 <\/em>\u0418\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c <\/em>\u0417\u043d\u0430\u0442\u043d\u0435\u0439\u0448\u0438\u0445 <\/em>\u041e\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/em>\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043f\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0432, <\/em>\u0418\u0437\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/em>\u0422\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0430\u043c\u0438 <\/em>\u0418\u043c\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 <\/em>\u0410\u043a\u0430\u0434\u0435\u043c\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u041d\u0430\u0443\u043a <\/em>\u0418 <\/em>\u0425\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432 <\/em>\u0412 <\/em>\u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-<\/em>\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433\u0435 [Plan of the Capital City of Saint Petersburg with the Images of Its Most Grand Avenues, Published by the Works of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts in St. Petersburg]<\/em>. St. Petersburg: \u0410\u043b\u044c\u0444\u0430\u0440\u0435\u0442 [Alfaret], 2007. http:\/\/www.raruss.ru\/treasure\/page2\/1351-makhaev-plan.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Martin, Alexander M. Enlightened Metropolis: Constructing Imperial Moscow, 1762-1855.<\/em> Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.<\/p>\n

Skvortsova, Yekaterina. “\u0420\u043e\u043b\u044c \u0414\u0436. A. \u0410\u0442\u043a\u0438\u043d\u0441\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0412 \u0420\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0438\u0438 \u0416\u0430\u043d\u0440\u0430 \u041f\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043c\u044b \u0412 \u0420\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0418\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435” [The Role of J.A. Atkinson in the Development of Panoramas in Russian Art]. \u0410\u043a\u0442\u0443\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/em> \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043b\u0435\u043c\u044b <\/em>\u0442\u0435\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u0438 <\/em>\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 [Current Issues of Theory and History of Art]<\/em>, no. 1 (2011): 204-13.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Alexander M. Martin, Enlightened Metropolis: Constructing Imperial Moscow, 1762-1855,<\/em> (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014): 71-75.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Yekaterina Skvortsova, “\u0420\u043e\u043b\u044c \u0414\u0436. A. \u0410\u0442\u043a\u0438\u043d\u0441\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0412 \u0420\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0438\u0438 \u0416\u0430\u043d\u0440\u0430 \u041f\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043c\u044b \u0412 \u0420\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0418\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435” [The Role of J.A. Atkinson in the Development of Panoramas in Russian Art], \u0410\u043a\u0442\u0443\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/em>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043b\u0435\u043c\u044b <\/em>\u0442\u0435\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u0438 <\/em>\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 [Current Issues of Theory and History of Art]<\/em>, no. 1 (2011): 206.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> M.A Alekseeva, Introduction to \u041f\u043b\u0430\u043d <\/em>\u0421\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/em>\u0413\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0430 <\/em>\u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-<\/em>\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433\u0430 <\/em>\u0421 <\/em>\u0418\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c <\/em>\u0417\u043d\u0430\u0442\u043d\u0435\u0439\u0448\u0438\u0445 <\/em>\u041e\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/em>\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043f\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0432, <\/em>\u0418\u0437\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/em>\u0422\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0430\u043c\u0438 <\/em>\u0418\u043c\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 <\/em>\u0410\u043a\u0430\u0434\u0435\u043c\u0438\u0438 <\/em>\u041d\u0430\u0443\u043a <\/em>\u0418 <\/em>\u0425\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432 <\/em>\u0412 <\/em>\u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-<\/em>\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433\u0435 [Plan of the Capital City of Saint Petersburg with the Images of Its Most Grand Avenues, Published by the Works of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts in St. Petersburg]<\/em>, (St. Petersburg: \u0410\u043b\u044c\u0444\u0430\u0440\u0435\u0442 [Alfaret], 2007).<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Martin, 73.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Alekseeva, Introduction<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Zinaida Osipova When I first visited St. Petersburg, I knew that my smartphone would show me the way to the Winter Palace, Dostoyevsky\u2019s apartment, or anywhere else I wished. In an era of GPS and online maps, it is … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":781,"featured_media":905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-essays","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/781"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=904"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/904\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":910,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/904\/revisions\/910"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/havighurst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}