The charitable organization The Community of St. Eugenia was founded in 1893 by the efforts of several caring and sympathetic people to help the distressed sisters of mercy. This event was preceded by a chance meeting in Sevastopol of the artist Gavriil Pavlovich Kondratenko (1854–1924) with a begging sister of mercy, a participant in the Russian-Turkish war (1877–1878) for the liberation Slavic peoples from Ottoman rule in the Balkans. From her he learned about the plight of the sisters of mercy. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, the artist turned for help to a wealthy industrialist, vice-president of the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Ivan Petrovich Balashov. It was he who interceded with the Main Directorate of the Red Cross Society and received permission to create a Committee for the Care of the Sisters of Mercy in St. Petersburg. I.P. himself Balashov contributed 10,000 rubles to the fund of the organized Committee. Artist G.P. Kondratenko was the organizer of the first charity exhibition in favor of the Committee. In 1893, under the Committee for the Care of the Sisters of Mercy

Petersburg, the Community of Sisters of Mercy was formed, patronized by Her Imperial Highness Princess Evgenia Maximilianovna of Oldenburg (1845–1928). The name Saint Eugenia was given to the Community in honor of the heavenly patroness of the princess. EAT. Oldenburgskaya was known for her charitable activities and patronized many organizations: the St. Petersburg Committee for the Care of the Sisters of Mercy of the Red Cross, the Community of St. Eugenia, the Maximilian Hospital, the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of Arts.

The community of St. Eugenia needed funds to maintain "a shelter for the elderly sisters and preparatory courses for the young in case of war." Young sisters of mercy provided paid medical care to the population, while the profits went to maintain the "asylum". The Community operated an outpatient clinic, a hospital, a pharmacy, and a multidisciplinary hospital was under construction. Further development and the prosperity of the Community of St. Eugenia is associated with the name of Ivan Mikhailovich Stepanov (1857–1941), he became the organizer of the developing material base and the founder of the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia. In 1896 I.M. Stepanov began to issue charity envelopes in which

sent out Business Cards. These envelopes were called "instead of visits." The release of the first envelope (1896) was timed to coincide with Easter and was a great success. The envelopes were designed by the artists L. Bakst, M. Dobuzhinsky, V. Zamirailo, B. Zworykin, E. Lansere, G. Narbut, S. Chekhonin, S. Yaremich. The idea of ​​the subsequent publication of open letters also belonged to I.M. Stepanov. At his request, the then popular writer N.N. Karazin, who also had an artistic gift, completed four watercolors (“Plowman”, “At the Chapel”, “Spring”, “Troika in Summer”), from which E.I. Marcus were printed in color lithography the first four open letters, which were published in the spring of 1897. In 1898, the first series was released - ten open letters with watercolors by K. Makovsky, I. Repin and other artists who donated their works to the Community of St. Eugenia. The Community Publishing House began to announce competitions for drawings for various anniversaries. The first competition was announced for the 100th anniversary of the birth of A.S. Pushkin. The very first work of N.K. Roerich issued by the Community

Saint Eugenia, was a drawing specially made by the artist for the poem by A.S. Pushkin "The Feast of Peter the Great". This drawing participated in the subsequent competition dedicated to the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg. This event brought the community's publishing house closer to the artists of the "World of Art" association. So the artists N.K. Roerich, A.N. Benois and others joined the Artistic Publications Commission of the Community of St.

Evgeniya. The artists of the association "World of Art", thanks to the established good relations, began to implement their ideas and goals through the publications of the Community of St. Eugenia - the development of artistic taste among the widest public, the popularization of Russian and foreign art in Russia. In addition, the Community published a huge number of unique open letters with views of Russian localities and cities,

portraits ordinary people: they have preserved a kind of historical chronicle of the development of the country for several decades.

Initially, the circulation of postcards was only a few hundred copies, but they became so popular among buyers that the number of their release constantly increased, and most postcards were reprinted several times.

The newspaper Morning of Russia in 1912 wrote that the publishing house had made “a revolution in the history of Russian open writing; it managed to raise it to the height of the requirements of the most subtle connoisseur of art, to make of it ... a public library on the history of art.

The publishing house of the Community of Saint Eugenia produced calendars, albums, catalogues, posters and books. So, in 1918, an illustrated monograph by S. Ernst “N.K. Roerich”, series “Russian Artists”. The journal “Open Letter” was published under the editorship of F.G. Berenshtam - director of the Library of the Academy of Arts, graphic artist, architect. In 1920, the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia was transformed into the Committee for the Promotion of Art Publications (KPI). From 1896 to 1930, the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia, and then the KPHI, published more than 150 books, albums, brochures, catalogs, brochures and about 7,000 postcards, which can be called masterpieces of Russian printed art.


The Stroganov Palace of the Russian Museum hosts an exhibition dedicated to the activities of the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia, which belongs to the most interesting phenomena of Russian culture Silver Age

The Stroganov Palace of the Russian Museum is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the activities of the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia, which belongs to the most interesting phenomena of Russian culture of the Silver Age. The community of St. Eugenia was actively involved in charity work and collaborated with such artists as A. N. Benois, I. Ya. Bilibin, E. E. Lansere, K. A. Somov, L. S. Bakst, M. V. Dobuzhinsky, F Bernshtam, D. I. Mitrokhin, G. I. Narbut, Z. E. Serebryakova, A. P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva and others. drawings and watercolors.

The Russian Museum has a unique collection of the so-called "Open Letters" (postcards), sketches and test prints of the publishing house, most of the book editions of the Community of St. Eugenia fell into the museum's collection almost immediately after publication.

The community of St. Eugenia was part of the "St. Petersburg Trustee Committee for the Sisters of the Red Cross" under the Main Directorate of the RRCS ( Russian Society Red Cross), headed since 1887 by the granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas I, Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Oldenburg (1845–1925), who invested considerable personal funds in charity. It was in honor of the heavenly patroness of the princess that the Community was named, which consisted of sisters of mercy and was called upon not only to support the elderly and often mendicant sisters of mercy, but to prepare a worthy replacement.

The community needed money to build a hospital, maintain a nursing home, and run nursery courses. Funds for charity came from individuals, from auctions and art exhibitions held by the Community. Since 1896, the Community of St. Eugenia began publishing activities, including the release of "open letters" - illustrated postcards, among which reproductions of works occupied a large place. visual arts, primarily Russian. This initiative not only turned out to be the most successful way to receive charitable funds, but became a noticeable phenomenon in the cultural life of Russia. late XIX- the beginning of the XX century.

The first products - envelopes dedicated to Easter 1896, had a modest design: a sign of the Red Cross and the inscription "For greeting cards. In favor of the Community of St. Eugenia. A year later, the artists E. P. Samokish-Sudkovskaya, V. V. Suslov, N. V. Sultanov joined in the design of the envelopes.

In 1898, the first series of 10 "open letters" was published, the authors of watercolors for them were famous artists People: I. E. Repin, K. E. Makovsky, N. S. Samokish, E. M. Boehm and others. Issued in 10,000 copies each, the postcards of this series were such a success that the circulation had to be repeated.

The 1900s were the heyday years, this was largely facilitated by the competition dedicated to the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg, thanks to which strong ties were established with the artists of the World of Art. Invited to the jury of the competition, Alexander Benois was actually the head of the publishing house. L. S. Bakst, A. N. Benois, I. Ya. Bilibin, M. V. Dobuzhinsky, I. E. Grabar, E. E. Lansere, G. K. Lukomsky, K. A Somov, A.P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva and many others worked almost for a symbolic reward, or even for free.

Thanks to high patrons, in 1903 the Community was allowed to sell postcards at the Red Cross kiosks in many railway stations and marinas throughout Russia. The circulation of one postcard reached 10,000 copies, and some of them were reprinted up to 5-6 times. The total number of open letters for 20 years of existence, starting from 1898, amounted to more than 30 million copies. All of them were made with high printing quality. More than 6,400 postcards are dedicated to significant events in life Russian state, statesmen and the royal court, as well as reproduce the best works Russian and foreign art. Postcards bearing the stamp of the Community feature 3,000 sights in 200 geographical locations around the world. Among the performers of these postcards are I. Ya. Bilibin and A. N. Benois, as well as famous photographers: A. Pavlovich, K. Bulla, K. Gann, P. Radetsky, S. Prokudin-Gorsky, V. Svetlichny.

Gradually, the publishing house developed its own book publishing program. Issues of illustrated editions of the Russian classical literature and publications introducing readers to the collections of the largest Russian museums and cultural attractions of the country. This is a guide to art gallery Hermitage" A. N. Benois (1911), " Works of art Hermitage (1916), pocket guides to famous places in Russia, a series of monographs "Russian Artists", "1812 in Krylov's fables" with illustrations by G. I. Narbut (1912), "Mozart and Salieri" by A. S. Pushkin, p. three drawings by M. A. Vrubel and book decorations by S. V. Chekhonin.

The printed products of the Community were awarded at international exhibitions: the World Exhibition in Paris (1900), in St. Louis (1904), at the All-Russian Handicraft Exhibition in St. Petersburg (1907–1908), the International Construction Exhibition in St. Petersburg (1908) and others.

After the revolution in 1920, the Evgenin community was abolished. Charity as a form of social activity of high society has ceased to exist. The publishing house came under the jurisdiction of Glavnauka and continued its activities under the name of the Committee for the Popularization of Artistic Publications at the State Academy of Material Culture.


His Serene Highness Princess Evgenia Maximilianovna Romanova, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, married Princess of Oldenburg (March 20, 1845, St. Petersburg - May 4, 1925, Biarritz, France).

Evgenia Maksimilianovna comes from the Oldenburg House of the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp. She was born on March 20 (April 1), 1845 and was the fourth child and third daughter in the family of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna from her first marriage and Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg, Duke of Leuchtenberg from Bavaria. Her paternal great-grandmother was Marie Françoise-Josephine (née Marie Joseph Rose Tachet de la Pagerie), Empress of France, first wife of Napoleon I.

After the death of Duke Maximilian (1852), Nicholas I conferred on his children the title of Imperial Highness of the Romanov princes. Her children and youth were held in St. Petersburg. In childhood, daughter Evgenia Maximilianovna and her older sister Maria were raised by Elizaveta Andreevna Tolstaya, who was famous writer Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828-1910) cousin aunt. In the winter of 1857, Tolstoy met 12-year-old Zhenya in Geneva. Later in a letter he wrote: “The impression that I have of Evgenia Maximilianovna is so good, sweet, simple and human, and everything that I have heard and hear about her, everything confirms this impression…”.

At court, the Duchess of Oldenburg stood out sharply for her extravagance. Almost always she wore a semi-male outfit - a suit from Thayer in light gray or beige.

Since 1868 - married to Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg. In the same year, the son Peter was born. In 1879, she received the Ramon estate as a gift from Alexander II.

Evgenia Maksimilianovna was very active in social and cultural life. She performed as:


  • President of the Mineralogical Society

  • honorary member of the Charitable Society for the Charity of Intelligent Workers, created in 1901 to assist elderly governesses and teachers who served in private and public institutions, "who, due to old age or illness, cannot earn a living through their work."

  • honorary member of the Society for the Relief of the Crippled, studying crafts and crafts in St. Petersburg (under the august patronage of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna).

  • honorary member of the Imperial Russian Automobile Society (IRAO), organized in 1903.

For some time, Evgenia Maximilianovna served as chairman of the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of Arts, she established an art prize. No less significant was her activity in creating a wide network of art schools in St. Petersburg and its environs - she was the initiator of the device in the working quarters of drawing schools "for persons of the handicraft class", the publication of a collection of artistic and industrial drawings. http://istram. ucoz.ru/_ph/4/2/425879256.jpg, patroness of the Red Cross Sisters community, on the basis of which the community of St. Eugenia arose, which received the name in honor of its patroness.
The "Society of St. Eugenia" had its own publishing house, it was one of the first in Russia to publish artistic (illustrated) open letters (postcards). In 1898 they went on sale. Over the 20 years of its existence, the society has produced 6,500 postcards with a total circulation of more than 30 million copies. Watercolor images were made by famous artists - I. E. Repin, E. M. Vasnetsov, A. N. Benois, K. E. Makovsky and others. A series of postcards with reproductions from Tretyakov Gallery, Rumyantsev Museum, Hermitage. Sometimes little-known photographers also became authors. Some postcards were with views of Ramon.

Since 1868 - the trustee of the Rozhdestvensky Women's Gymnasium, renamed in 1899 to Princess Evgenia Maximilianovna of the Oldenburg Gymnasium, - Lafonskaya Street (since 1952 - Proletarian Dictatorship Street), 1. (Now in the gymnasium No. 157 (Proletarian Dictatorship Street, 1) is Memorial plaque.)
April 2, 1870 - became the patroness of the House of Mercy - after the death of her mother, who was its founder in this capacity and under this name and the first sovereign patroness.
since 1894 she became a trustee of the Maximilian Hospital.
During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, Evgenia Maksimili-anovna headed the Port Arthur Committee for Assistance to Wounded Soldiers and Perpetuating the Memory of the Fallen. For her activities, she was awarded the Women's Order "For Immaculate Service to the Fatherland in the Field of Charity and Education."

From the 1880s, Evgenia Maksimilianovna lived in the Ramon estate, not far from Voronezh, by her uncle, Tsar Alexander II, who was granted her with a sugar factory, preferring to live in St. Petersburg during the cold months of the year, where she played a big role in the social and cultural life of Russia. In 1908, the palace became the property of the son of Peter Alexandrovich, and Evgenia Maksimilianovna moved to permanent residence in St. Petersburg.

Evgenia Maksimilianovna had the talent of an organizer. A businesslike, energetic, well-educated woman, she launched an active economic activity on her Ramon estate, rebuilding it in a capitalist way: she built her palace in the Old English style (in 1883-1887), reconstructed a sugar factory, transferring it to a diffusion system, a machine steam technology, opened a refinery shop (1880-1891), built a "steam factory for sweets and chocolate" (1900); connected the Ramon railway with the Grafskaya station (1901); by purchasing land from the neighbors of the landowners, she increased the area of ​​​​the estate from 3300 to 7000 acres, transferred agriculture to an 8-mile crop rotation; opened a stud farm, carpet workshops, contained an exemplary two-story dining room for workers, a hostel for arriving engineers.

General view of the castle.

Canteen workers sugar factory.

Monument for the donation of Ramon to Princess E.M. of Oldenburg.

In Ramon, she took care of schools, hospitals and the poor: she opened primary school and a hospital (1880).

Ramon Primary School.

She took the chair at the celebration on the occasion of the opening in 1896 of the Voronezh Provincial Museum. At the opening in October 1889 of an agricultural school in the village of Kon-Kolodez, she established a scholarship for students named after “Her Imperial Highness Princess of Oldenburg”.

With her participation, eleven deer were taken out of Europe and launched into a fenced area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe forest in order to breed and organize hunting for them. Subsequently, they became the founders of the current herd of deer in the Voronezh State Biosphere Reserve.

Hunting "deer" estate.

The central gate of the cordon "Zverinets".

Evgenia Maksimilianovna built the first candy factory in Russia using steam engines, which was called the Steam Candy and Chocolate Factory and later became the progenitor of the Voronezh confectionery factory. The factory's products were internationally recognized, having won a large number of awards at various world exhibitions.

Wrappers:

The Oldenburgskys, Alexander and Eugenia, took the oath of allegiance to the Provisional Government. After the revolution of 1917, Yevgenia Maksimilianovna, paralyzed, spent some time in Petrograd. Then she was transported to Finland, and from there to France, where she lived until the end of her life.


According to Wikipedia. Read more about the estate in Ramon at the link

also known by another name Red Cross Publishing.

The history of the emergence of the publishing group "Community of St. Eugenia" is very curious. Once, and this happened in the 1880s, the famous Russian painter Gavriil Pavlovich Kondratenko went to study in the Crimea. In Sevastopol, he met a beggar who turned out to be a former nurse, as nurses were called in those years. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, they nursed the wounded, but after it ended, they found themselves out of work, without a livelihood, and were very poor. The meeting made a strong impression on the artist and he did not remain indifferent to the fate of these women. Returning to St. Petersburg, Kondratenko organized a charity exhibition in favor of the sisters of mercy, and, in addition, turned to influential people for help, using existing connections and acquaintances. As a result, in 1882, the "St. Petersburg Trustee Committee for the Sisters of the Red Cross" was organized.

The august patronage of the community was assumed by Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Oldenburg, the granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas I (daughter of the Duke of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna). In honor of her heavenly patroness, Saint Eugenia, the organization received the name "Community of Saint Eugenia". Evdokia Fyodorovna Dzhunkovsky (maid of honor of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna) was the Chairman of the Community, and Ivan Mikhailovich Stepanov was the secretary.

In search of funds in 1896, the "Community of St. Eugenia" began publishing, including the production of illustrated postcards, among which reproductions of works of fine art, and especially Russian, occupied a large place. The scope of publishing interests of the Community was quite wide, but all of it, one way or another, was predominantly connected with art and the artistic sphere. It was the Community, for the first time in the history of Russia, that began to publish in large numbers a wide variety of postcards, as well as reproductions of paintings and graphic works, both in the form of postcards and posters. Artists from the magazines "World of Art" and "Art Treasures of Russia" were grouped around the publishing house: A. N. Benois, I. Ya. Bilibin, M. V. Dobuzhinsky, N. K. Roerich, K. A. Somov, A. P Ostroumova-Lebedeva; I. E. Repin and others collaborated. The publishing house produced about 6,000 art postcards (as of 1915).

Since 1911, books have been published that differ high quality artistic and printing performance, in which a significant place was occupied by prints and reproductions: guidebooks (to the Hermitage by A. N. Benois; Pavlovsk, St. Petersburg V. Ya. Kurbatov; Kostroma G. K. Lukomsky), as well as beautifully illustrated publications: "Fables of Krylov" with illustrations by G. I. Narbut and "Mozart and Salieri" with drawings by M.A. Vrubel. Monographs about Roerich and Somov were published (covers by S. V. Chekhonin). The community published table calendars based on drawings by Somov (1905-1908) and Bilibin (1911).

After the revolution of 1917, the publishing house of the Community of St. Eugenia was registered as the “Commission of Artistic Publications of the Community of St. Eugenia”. In 1920, by a special decree, all organizations of the sisters of mercy of the Red Cross were liquidated. The publishing house of the Community was transferred to the State Academy Material Culture under the name