Afanasy Grigoriev

Infobox Architect


caption=Afanasy Grigoriev, portrait c. 1800
name=Afanasy Grigorievich Grigoriev
nationality=Russia
birth_date=January 21, 1782
birth_place=Vasilievskaya, Tambov Governorate, Russian Empire
death_date=May 13, 1868
death_place=Moscow
practice_name=Giliardi Family and independent own practice
significant_buildings=Khrushyov House (now Alexander Pushkin museum)
significant_projects=Ershovo Estate (near Zvenigorod)

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Afanasy Grigorievich Grigoriev ( _ru. Афанасий Григорьевич Григорьев) (January 21, 1782 - May 13, 1868) was a Russian Neoclassical architect, who worked in Moscow and its suburbs. Grigoriev is remembered for his refined Empire style mansions, completion of Great Ascension Church (which, unfinished, housed the wedding of Alexander Pushkin in 1831) and assistance to Domenico Giliardi in rebuilding Moscow after the Great Fire of 1812.

Biography

Grigoriev was born a serf, owned by the Kretov family, and acquired freedom at the age of 22.By this time, he was a long-time apprentice to Moscow-based Giliardi family of Swiss architects. Giovanni Giliardi was the chief architect of continuously expanding Moscow Orphanage, Widow's House (public almshouse) and Catherine's Institute; his son, Domenico Giliardi, inherited the family practice and managed rebuilding of these and other public structures after the devastating Fire of 1812.

Grigoriev, like Domenico, studied architecture and crafts in Francesco Camporesi workshop in Moscow Kremlin. In 1808-1847, Grigoriev was formally employed by the Widow's House, first as assistance to Giliardis, then as the chief architect of this institution. Grigoriev worked for (or with) Giliardis on all of their Moscow projects, growing from an apprentice to lead architect. He and Domenico Giliardi usually receive equal credit on their joint 1820s buildings, including Sukhanovo and Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki. Grigoriev's own, undisputed, work can be found in Prechistenka Street, where he built two extant, adjacent upper-class houses.

The first, a city estate of Alexander Khrushyov, is noted for a complex plan that integrates two different facades - a stern Ionic order facing Preschistenka and an ornate, joyful facade with double Ionic columns and a raised terrace overlooking Khruschyovsky Lane. The building houses Alexander Pushkin museum since 1957. [Александров, Юрий, "Среди дворянских гнезд", "Наше наследие" [http://www.nasledie-rus.ru/podshivka/6414.php] ] [Official site: [http://www.pushkinmuseum.ru www.pushkinmuseum.ru] ]

The second, a symmetrical Lopukhin (later Stanitsky) House, also employing Ionic order, houses Leo Tolstoy museum. Both buildings retained all original exterior and some of interior artwork, and are rated as finest examples of Moscow "Empire" style.

His most important project out of Moscow is the Ershovo estate near Zvenigorod. The Trinity Cathedral (1826-1828), destroyed in War World II, was rebuilt in 1990s ( [http://www.orgstroy.ru/obj/11.jpgphoto] [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/sas/image/ershovo-church.jpgphoto] ).

Grigoriev died in Moscow and was buried at extant Kalitniki Cemetery. Church of this cemetery, sometimes credited to Grigoriev by mistake, was actually built by N.I. Kozlovsky [Russian: "Храмы во имя иконы божией матери "Всех скорбящих радости", [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/jurnal/culture/svmos-skorbyaschih.htm www.pravoslavie.ru] ]

Buildings

Assistant to Giovanni Giliardi:
* 1800s-1812: Widows' House improvements, Kudrinskaya Square
* 1800s: The Orphanage improvements, Moskvoretskaya Embankment
* 1804-1812: Catherine's Institute, Kommuny Square

Assistant or partner to Domenico Giliardi:
* 1813-1817: Catherine's Institute (completion)
* 1817-1819: Moscow State University reconstruction
* 1823-1826: Board of Trustees (Опекунский Совет), Solyanka Street
* 1829-1831: Usachev House
* 1820s: Sukhanovo palace improvements (with Joseph Bove, Adam Menelaws and other architects)

Own, undisputed design:
* 1814-18??: Khruschyov House (later Seleznyov House), Prechistenka Street,(sculpture by Ivan Vitali)
* 1817-1822: Lopukhin House (later Stanitsky House), Prechistenka Street
* 1824-1826: Trinity Church in Veshnyaki ( [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/13.htm www.pravoslavie.ru] )
* 1826-1828: Trinity Church, Ershovo near Zvenigorod, destroyed 1941, rebuilt 1990s
* 1837: Ershovo Palace
* 1842-1843: Own house, Milyutindsky Lane, 8

Other work:
* 1819-1821: Dokuchaev House, Myasnitskaya Street
* 1820s: Razumovsky House, Gorokhovaya Street (reconstruction of a building designed by Adam Menelaws)
* 1845: Great Ascencion Church, Nikitskie Gates, Moscow - completion of an earlier work by Joseph Bove and other architects [Russian: "Москва и Подмосковье", М, "Искусство", 1979, p.499]

References

Persondata
NAME=Grigoriev, Afanasy Grigorievich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Григорьев, Афанасий Григорьевич (Russian)
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Russian Neoclassical architect
DATE OF BIRTH=January 21, 1782
PLACE OF BIRTH=Vasilievskaya, Tambov Governorate, Russian Empire
DATE OF DEATH=May 13, 1868
PLACE OF DEATH=Moscow, Russia