A pair of splendid ceremonial gowns worn in 1913 by the grand duchesses Olga and Tatiana, eldest daughters of Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra. The dresses were made in St Petersburgh in the workshop of Bulbenkova and were to be worn at the official event for the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. The dresses are made from white satin with gold and pink velvet decoration and are designed to be worn with traditional pink velvet halo like head dresses called ‘kokoshnik’. The Empress loved to dress her eldest daughters, known as ‘The Big Two’ in matching clothes.
These photographs shows the two grand duchesses wearing their gowns. The 1913 celebrations in Russia were to be among the last opulent state occasions that the Romanov family presided over before the outbreak of World War I and the Revolution that was to engulf them.
The two younger grand duchesses, Maria and Anastasia were also present at the ceremonies and would have worn similar ceremonial robes, although the photographs above date from a few years earlier. ‘The Little Two’ were also dressed in matching clothes by their mother, most usually frilly muslin and linen gowns like the two below which were worn by them when young.
I’ve been fascinated by the Romanov family ever since I was a little girl and stayed up late one night to watch Nicholas and Alexandra, bedazzled by all the pomp and glitz and splendour then heartbroken by the tragic end. Since then I’ve read countless books about the family, avidly devouring every detail of their lives and, I’ll admit it, hoping that the conspiracy theories were true and they had managed to escape after all. I particularly liked the theory that they were smuggled to the coast and then spent the next decades cruising the oceans in a royal yacht. They always look so happy in photographs taken on board the Standart, you see…
There’s such a haunting beauty to old photographs of the lost Romanov children, who are long dead whether you accept that they were murdered in July 1918 or survived to old age. Are events more tragic when the victims are pretty, I find myself wondering? Would we care as much about the fates of OTMA (their personal nickname that they used to co-sign letters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia) and Alexei if they were older and less beauteous?
The official photographs of the young Russian Tsarevitch and grand duchesses have become as much a part of their mythology as the rumours surrounding their final moments – those fresh faced young girls in their pretty white dresses with long, softly pulled back hair. Their pensive, direct gazes reminiscent of their parents, who always look so serious, almost melancholy in their photographs.
The private family snaps tell a different story of course – they show face pulling, scuffles, bicycles, snow, kittens and laughter and, if possible, are even more unbearably sad than the posed and elegantly cosy photos taken by the official photographers.
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I also have a post about the splendid dresses worn by the Empresses Alexandra and Marie, which you can see here.
I still get angry when I think about how George V reneged on his offer to give the Romanovs asylum in Great Britain. They could have lived at Osborne House and been quite content. They could have then moved on to live with other relatives in Paris or even the US. Have you read Greg King’s new book that came out in January?
Oh I find that so upsetting and it makes me so furious! I keep meaning to look into it a bit more, not to vindicate George V as such but to find out the truth as it is so grim. I read the other day about the girls daydreaming about a future life in England, little knowing that they were never to be return here.
I haven’t read that one yet although it’s on my list! I should do so really before I get immersed in 17th century England. :)
Very nice article and lovely photos! One thing you might want to consider changing is the term Archduchess to Grand Duchess — the Romanovs never used that particular term. Of course, it wasn’t just the Tsar and his family that vanished in the Revolution, so too did Elizabeth Feodorovna, Alix’s sister, and many of the cousins, especially in the Konstantinvichi branch of the family. Over all, it would be seven women, and fourteen men that were murdered by the Bolsheviks.
Ah yes, I thought something didn’t look quite right! I’d just been writing an article about the Archduchess Maria Amalia and was on autopilot. This happens a lot as I jump around between different periods.
Thanks for sharing these lovely photographs. I, too, have long been fascinated by the Romanov family and their tragic end. I believe that we still would be moved by their murders even if they were not so beautiful: they were five innocent children cruelly executed for gross political reasons. (Not to suggest that the adults deserved their fates either!)
I’d like to believe that too. I haven’t said much about Alexei here because I feel particularly upset by his fate – I think it is because I only have sons and it feels more ‘near’ if that makes sense? I get the same about the Dauphin Louis – I find it utterly unbearable. :(
Such haunting photos! And such beautiful faces. Both parents, of course were quite attractive. Unfortunately, the conspiracy theories should be laid to rest. Recent DNA evidence now proves that the entire family was assassinated that day (along with their servants and Tatiana’s little dog — which is how their deaths were confirmed at first, long before the DNA testing; the murderers, who admitted where the shallow grave was,not far from the house where the family and their attendants were shot, didn’t bother to throw quicklime on the dog’s corpse, so it hadn’t disintegrated, as the human bodies had done ). A couple of years ago, in 2009 I think, what were believed to be the bodies of Anastasia and Alexei were proven conclusively to be authentic, setting to rest any fantasies that any of the family escaped the Bolsheviks.
I agree with Ms. Mahon on this. I think George V’s refusal to accept the Romanovs as refugees seeking political asylum was beyond the pale. But he had his own reasons for it. He didn’t want the British throne to be the next target of revolutionaries.
Such beautiful photographs. Knowing what happened to the family makes me ache a little bit. Innocence, unfortunately, is not untouchable in wars or revolutions. I, too, feel the same way about the Dauphin Louis. When I read about what he encountered at the hands of his “tutor” the thought of it was, yes, unbearable. Great post.
Oh how timely! I am reading Andrew Cooke’s book on the Murder of the Romanovs. I have always loved reading about the Romanov family and I loved this post on your blog. I devour anything on the Romanov family. I always get a sense from photos that there is such tenderness between them…
Do read Greg King and Penny Wilson’s latest book “The Resurrection of the Romanovs”. In it they expose Anna Anderson, the famous Anastasia claimant, as a fraud. It shattered my fifty year belief in Anderson being the Grand Duchess Anastasia. An excellent read!
I really should. I never liked the Anna Anderson theory as she herself always seemed so disagreeable – mind you, Anastasia sounds like she might have grown up to be quite a prickly character too!
I really badly wanted to believe the theories but I think I always knew that it wasn’t true. I was very sad when the second bodies (of Alexei and one of the girls) were found a couple of years ago, as that meant there was no chance that anyone had survived. :(
Wonderful photos, Melanie. I’ve always been fascinated by the last Grand Duchesses. It is heartbreaking to look at them knowing the fate that befell them.
Thank you – it’s incredibly sad isn’t it? :(
The photos are lovely. I have been an unofficial Romanov scholar for years, reading everything I can get my hands on–including lots of things that are no longer in print. Some of these particular photos I have never seen. this is such a sad story for so very may reasons.
Oh, thank you for posting all the photos of these sweet souls – even though they make me sad.
I think… the hideous waste does in truth feel more gripping because the Romanov children are so hauntingly beautiful and innocent looking – unjust of course, as every life is precious. But the horrible crime is also more painful not only because they were pretty children, but because princesses and princes are icons of storybook perfection; they are meant to live happily ever after. They give the rest of us the hope of something to strive for: eternal health, wealth and happiness. The fact that they were murdered (and so brutally in their tender years) messes with our psyche.
Specifically with these children though, they appear so full of life and have such individual and beautiful characters that shine out from their images (in contrast to the stiff and much more formal royal images which prevail globally), that it feels all the more personal and tragic.
I am personally drawn to Tatiana (my namesake) and Maria the most.
x bisous
some lovely images of Tatiana from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tatianakokoshnik1904.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tatianacropped5.jpg
and maria
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Grand_Duchess_Marie_with_book_1906.jpg/220px-Grand_Duchess_Marie_with_book_1906.jpg
I too am fascinated by the Romanovs. I’ve ready many books on them, but I don’t believe I’ve seen all the photographs that you’ve shown here before.
I think this shows why history is interesting. Some people think history is dry and dusty but ultimately all history is just the stories of people; how they lived, what they wore and what they ate along with the events that they took part in. As a historian myself I know that along with the dates and facts it can be easy to forget the human story but that’s what makes history so truly fascinating. Incidentally my favourite period is the American West particularly the Native Americans and I’m planning to wrote a book on Sitting Bull. Now that is a really sad story too!
The photos are quite poignant, especially of Anastasia (?) as a toddler. The family’s betrayal by England (I’m sure it was the cabinet as much as George V) is heartbreaking.
Im only 17 but if it wasnt for the conspiracy theory I wouldnt have found out about the Romanovs, and their tragic end. Its heartbreaking but fascinating. I love looking into them and their life stories, and the elegance of their life style. The pictures are wonderful too look at, and its nice to see them in a different light, having fun. I havent seen most of these photos, the dresses are amazing, I would have loved to live such a lifestyle in some ways.
Their beauty is deffinatly to be envious of, and its sad to know they were so innocent and had their lifes so wrongly taken from them. Tis a shame England couldnt/would’nt help them :( What are your views on Grigori Rasputin by the way? (not at all good looking kinda creepy :S ) Accusations were made against him etc… and he was a close friend to the family.
Wonderful blog… I’m just learning about the Romanovs. They are a fascinating family!
As early as the 1905 revolution the Tsar was advised to get his daughters out of Russia. There were plenty of places that they could have sought refuge. I wonder why George V cancelled the rescue ship? I suspect he lived to regret that decision.
Great website