romanovillage:

The Romanov Family’s Alphabet - N is for Nursing.

When World War I broke out, the Big Pair, their mother, and several other female Romanov relatives became Red Cross nurses. They cared for wounded soldiers in a private hospital on the grounds of Tsarskoye Selo. Some buildings in Petersburg, notably a large portion of the Winter Palace, were converted into hospitals.

Maria, Anastasia, Alexei, Tatiana and Olga …

romanovillage:

The Romanov Family’s Alphabet - M is for the Mauve Boudoir.

When Alexandra came to Russia she was involved for the first time in creating her own living spaces.

 

She was inexperienced and most of what she knew about decorating came from magazines and the advice she had received over the years from of her English Grandmother and observations of Victoria’s old-fashioned, sentimental style of decorating which dominated a century.

 

Her objective was to create a bright and cozy environment for her husband and future family. She wanted a room where Nicholas could come and unburden himself from the affairs of government - a sanctuary where they could be together, safe and alone.

 

The Mauve “Boudoir” was Alexandra’s favorite room and for 20 years it was the center of her family’s life in the palace. At the time it was the most celebrated room in Russia and the subject of much gossip as to the events that were supposed to have taken place there. Even today it remains a room of mystery and it is the room of the palace which interests the public the most. The room was also much derided for its’ style and family atmosphere by elite society of the time.

 

Elegant Petersburg thought proper Romanov Empresses should live semi-publicly in splendid rooms graciously decorated in the latest style with fine art and sophisticated furnishings.

Alexandra liked the color mauve and she personally picked the fabric and hue.

 

It is said she asked for a color to match a favorite sprig of lilac given to her by Nicholas. In Russia the color mauve is called “lilac” and there this room is called the “lilac” boudoir. Mauve was popular at the time and it became increasing so during the Edwardian era.

OTMA Romanov …

romanovillage:

The Romanov Family’s Alphabet - K is for Kokoshnik.

The kokoshnik (Russian: коко́шник; IPA: [kɐˈkoʂnʲɪk]) is commonly used name for a variety of a traditional Russian head-dresses worn by women and girls.

Kokoshnik gave its name to the decorative corbel arch that was a distinctive element of traditional Russian architecture since 16th century (see kokoshnik in architecture).

Maria ,Olga and Anastasia …

The big pair …

romanovillage:

The Romanov Family’s Alphabet - J is for Jacket.

romanovillage:

The Romanov Family’s Alphabet - I is for illness.

There was a heartwrenching secret in the Imperial Family. The secret was that the Tsarevich Alexei was born with the blood disease called Hemophilia.

 

Often, there had been accidents, big and small. The worst episode was at their hunting lodge, Spała, in the year of 1912. The boy was in so much pain, everyone thought he would never get better. But fortunately, he eventually recovered.

The next bad bout of bleeding was when Alexei had an sledding accident while the family was in exile. Alexei never walked again, as a few months later the whole family were executed.

There are also another notable illnesses in the family.

 

Tsar Nicholas II was sick with Typhus in 1900.

 

He was so bad off so many people thought he was going to die and the question of succession to the throne was on the rise in a terrifying form.

 

At the time Alix was pregnant with Anastasia. There were talks of Alix claiming the regency until the baby, a chance that it might be a boy, would come of age. But of course, the Tsar recovered and another girl was born. He was also a victim of Typhoid fever in 1901.

During the Romanov Tercentenary celebrations in 1913, Grand Duchess Tatiana drank contaminated water and fell ill with Typhoid. She had to cut her long hair and wore a wig during the photo-shoots of that year.

 

The family was plagued by measles in early 1917. Unluckily, this coincided with the February Revolution and the Tsar’s abdication.

All of the children except Maria was ill.

 

Maria was already starting to feel the measles coming on before she and her mother went outside in the freezing weather to plead with the soldiers to stay loyal to the imperial family.

As a result she contracted virulent pneumonia along with measles and she nearly died from this.

 

 http://dona.ek.la/photos-famille-romanov-xvi-c19117643