Rinaldi Antonio - an outstanding Italian in Russia of the XVIII century

Rinaldi Antonio is an Italian architect who worked in Russia in the second half of the 18th century. His authorship includes numerous buildings in Gatchina, Oranienbaum, Tsarskoe Selo and, of course, in St. Petersburg. His name is associated with a transition from baroque to classicism in Russian architecture.

Rinaldi Antonio: A Short Biography

Little is known about the youth of the architect . In question, even the year and place of birth. Most likely, it was Naples. It is generally believed that it was in the south of Italy that Rinaldi Antonio passed away. His biography is full of white spots, but probably he belonged to a noble family. Such assumptions are based on the fact that the future architect studied with the master L. Vanvitelli (who, incidentally, was not much older than him), and he took in his workshop young men from the vicinity of Naples with good origins. The mentor was one of the most famous architects of Italy in the late Baroque period. Under the guidance of the teacher, the young master performed his first works.

Rinaldi came to Russia in 1951. Before that, he visited England and Germany, and German architecture had a great influence on future buildings. In Russia at that time, classicism had almost replaced baroque. Such architects as Sokolov, Rastrelli, Cameron enjoyed popularity. According to the contract, Rinaldi was to spend 7 years in the service of Count Razumovsky, the hetman of Little Russia. It was planned that he would take up the arrangement of the future administrative center of the region - the city of Baturin. The grandiose project was not destined to end. For the hetman, the architect built only one palace, then in 1954 he went to Petersburg.

In the capital, the architect fruitfully works on the orders of Emperor Peter III. He erects a complex of structures in Oranienbaum, builds the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, and works in Tsarskoe Selo. Rinaldi is engaged in the third, most scandalous, project of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was later rebuilt by Montferrand. One of the last works of the architect is the Catholic Church of St. Catherine, where he was the head of the parish for a long time.

The architect was full of creative plans, but the tragic accident prevented them from coming true. During the construction of the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg, he stumbled on the woods and fell. He could no longer work. The master was given a lifetime pension and, when he went to his homeland, regularly passed it through the consul. The last years of his life the architect systematized and put things in order in his projects and drawings. Rinaldi Antonio died in Rome, in 1974.

Italian Period

Before the trip to Russia at home, the architect spent about 40 years. This period was marked by the direct influence of the teacher, Luigi Vanvitelli. Often training took place in practice. Rinaldi worked as a student and assistant architect. He participated in the design of the castle of Caserta, one of the largest European palace-style buildings. It was meant for the king himself. The castle became one of the finest examples of late Italian baroque. At the same time, some features of classicism are already clearly visible in it.

The construction of the monastery of St. Augustine in Rome also took place with the participation of Antonio Rinaldi. The architect here still worked in the team. But the cathedral in the monastery of St. Magdalene in Pesaro he designed independently. Rinaldi showed himself as a mature, mature master. It was then that they drew attention to him and invited him to Russia.

Gatchina

In the Ukraine, Rinaldi Antonio was brought by the brother of the favorite of Elizabeth Petrovna, Kirill Razumovsky. At that time he was the hetman of Little Russia and a very influential person. With the architect signed a contract and ordered to begin designing the residence of the hetman in Baturin. It was planned to make this city the capital of the region, to erect some more magnificent buildings and to carry out the redevelopment of the streets. Parallel to the design of the residence, Rinaldi is building a palace for Razumovsky. Kirill Grigorievich was a good manager, but he did not shy away from bribes and bribes. In 1754 he was summoned to Moscow for a report on the entrusted territory, after which the financing and powers of the hetman were severely curtailed. Plans for the reconstruction of Baturin turned off and the architect's services were abandoned, having paid compensation. In the same year he went to St. Petersburg.

Oranienbaum

In St. Petersburg, Rinaldi was recruited at the court of Peter III. When his reign was over, Catherine II made the master a court architect, and in this position he was until 1784. The first imperial order was for the construction of a complex of structures in Oranienbaum. Here Rinaldi built the Palace of Peter III, the roller coaster pavilion, the Opera House, and later - the Chinese Palace. Petrovsky Palace was not intended for housing, rather it was a pavilion for rest. A miniature two-story building is very unusual in terms of spatial solutions. It is built like a square, one of whose corners is rounded by a smooth arc. Due to this reception a small building seems quite impressive. The Chinese palace was intended for the residence of Catherine II in 1762-1768. At this time, the chinoiserie style was in fashion, exploiting the Chinese theme, and several interior spaces were decorated according to the fashion trend. After the successful completion of works in Oranienbaum, the architect was instructed to manage the buildings in Tsarskoe Selo.

Tsarskoe Selo

Works on Tsarskoye Selo buildings belong to the most intense period of Rinaldi Antonio's work. The architect erects here several pavilions, obelisks and monuments. He designed and directed the construction of the Chesme, Moray, Crimean columns, the Cahul obelisk, the monument to Lansky. All the memorial structures glorified the might of the Russian fleet and the army. The Chinese pavilion and the Chinese theater continued the theme of the chinoiser. European style Rinaldi gives Russian sound. Chinese motifs are traced both in the interiors and outside - for example, in the design of the curved corners of the roof of the Chinese theater. Unfortunately, this building was destroyed during the war and can be seen only in photographs.

Petersburg Buildings

The Marble Palace, made in the style of mature classicism, is called the top of the work of Rinaldi Antonio. This name he received because of the walls, lined with natural stone. At that time it was the only building in St. Petersburg with such a decor. Pink marble was used both in exterior decoration and in interiors. The Palace of the U-shaped layout became a real decoration of the Neva embankment. Now there is a branch of the Russian Museum.

Other St. Petersburg buildings of the master include the Prince Vladimir Cathedral, the bell tower of the Ascension Church, the Catholic Church of St. Catherine on Nevsky Prospekt and Tuchkov Buyan - a warehouse complex.

The architect took part in the work on the third St. Isaac's Cathedral. In the Rinaldi project, the building was to be crowned by five domes and a slender high bell tower. By the time of the death of Catherine II, it was completed to the eaves, but the master was unable to complete the work due to injury. Rinaldi went to Rome, and on the marble base of the cathedral a brick dome and a squat bell tower were hastily erected. The construction caused a great resonance in the society, epigrams and witticisms poured from all sides. Later the cathedral was rebuilt in the final version.

Rinaldi Antonio began his life in Italy and graduated from it there. But the period of his life in Russia was the "heart" of his biography, to him he gave all his talent and creative powers. In the formation of the architectural appearance of St. Petersburg and its environs, Rinaldi made a huge contribution.