Lot n° 335
Estimation :
400 - 600
EUR
[MARRIAGE OF PRINCESS DAGMAR OF DENMARK WITH... - Lot 335 - Coutau-Bégarie
[MARRIAGE OF PRINCESS DAGMAR OF DENMARK WITH THE TSAREVICH ALEXANDER ALEXANDROVICH OF RUSSIA - 1866]
Handwritten notebook of 70 pages, cover in orange cardboard bearing the handwritten inscription "Notes de Mademoiselle
Sidonie de L'Escaille" and at the bottom of the document in the hand of Princess Irene Felixovna of Russia (1915-1983) the handwritten inscription "Arrière-Amama" (Danish term used by all the relatives descending from King Christian IX and Queen
Louise of Denmark), folio, text in French, written by the maid of honor of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, who accompanied her during her stay in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the marriage of the princess with the tsarevich of Russia, dating from September 22, 1866 to November 26, 1866.
A fascinating testimony of first importance which has never been published, tracing in great detail all the events, the meetings and the course of the evenings, the ceremonies celebrating the official arrival in Russia of the new heiress grand duchess of Russia and her marriage. The last pages dated July 4 and November 26, 1894 are devoted to the death and funeral of Emperor Alexander III.
As is, accident to the cover.
Text :On September 25th : " (...) the crew of the Étendard offered the princess bread and salt. Bread on a beautiful silver tray and salt in a delicious little silver cup (...)". September 26: "the sun rose brightly, dressed in a hurry and mounted on the bridge we received the Grand Duke
Constantine. Around 11:00 am the Emperor's yacht appeared. It was greeted by cannon shots. Soon he boarded and the effusions of a sincere and deep joy showed on his physiognomy when he came to take the princess to lead her to the empress (...) arrived at the station we are introduced in a waiting room. There we found the grand duchess Nicolas, a rather tall and strong English figure, with a pleasant smile and a very friendly manner. Then the grand duchess
Georges de Mecklembourg, the suffering and unhappy air and beauty completely passed and finally the young princess Eugenie de Leuchtenberg, small round, pleasant physiognomy. A few moments later the Emperor arrived by train, then the Empress and the Princess with their brilliant escort (...)". September 30: "(...) we arrive at 2 o'clock at the Winter Palace, immense buildings through endless lounges, we reach the Chapel, new religious ceremony (...) and the princess receives the Danish officers and Gortchakoff. In the evening, a grandiose illumination of the city and music corps placed in each district (...)". October 24: "(...) everything is grandiose and monstrous here, what is 10 here is 100 here. The emperor's suite is enormous. In the immense rooms were staggered officers of the regiments of the emperor and in the middle of the two lines the princess pale of motions it is directed towards the church, on the threshold it was received by the clergy to which it recites the act of faith and answered the various questions which they put to him, all that of a calm and posed voice. Then in the church she put herself on her knees in front of the hotel (...) the imperial family left the rooms in the same order that she entered them (...)". October 25: "(...) at 1 o'clock we gather in the large rooms of the second floor. The imperial family arrives in procession as the day before, the princess in white toilet covered with tulle speckled with silver and sprinkled with pink, on the haloed head covered with diamonds to the neck magnificent necklace of diamonds and pearls. Pink veil speckled with silver forming mirage around his head (...) we move towards the church; the grand duke and the princess place themselves in the middle in front of a small altar (...) to the young engaged a small gift of a gift.) to the young fiancés a small speech blesses them, then takes the rings, gives to the grand duke that of the princess to the princess that of the grand duke, still blesses them makes them kiss the cross, then the empress approaches and exchanges the rings and embraces moved and agitated the two young people (...) ".
History: In 1863, on the advice of Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, Mademoiselle Sidonie de L'Escaille (1832- ??), entered the service of Princess Dagmar of Denmark as governess. This young Belgian woman, "human and sympathetic", taught French to Dagmar and remained the confidante of the empress until 1921. She accompanied the princess on her official arrival in Russia on the occasion of her marriage to Tsarevich Alexander
Alexandrovitch, future tsar Alexander III.
Provenance: this small notebook was found in the papers of the empress Maria
Feodorovna after her death and kept by her daughter, the grand duchess Xenia
Alexandrovna (1875-1960), who passed it on to her daughter, Princess
Irina Alexandrovna Youssoupoff (1895-1970), from whose descendants
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