Fyodor Lidval
Encyclopedia
Fyodor Ivanovich Lidval (June 1 (June 13) 1870, St. Petersburg – 1945, Sweden) was a Russian architect of Swedish ethnicity.
Swedes. In 1882 he attended elementary school at the Swedish Church of St. Catherine, and then the second Petersburg Technical High School in 1888. For two years he worked in Baron Stieglitz's School of Technical Drawing.
From 1890 to 1896 Lidval was a student in the architectural department of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, studying (1894–1896) in the workshop of the eminent architect Leon Benois
. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1896 with the title "Artist-Architect".
From 1909 he was a member of the Academy of Architecture, an arm of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
In 1918, ruined by the revolution, he was forced to emigrate to his family in Stockholm
, ending the most fruitful period of his work which is connected with St. Petersburg, although he designed several buildings in Stockholm .
He died in poverty and obscurity in 1945 and is buried in Stockholm in Djursholm Cemetery.
One of his early works was an apartment building of the type called in Russia a "finance house", on Kamennoostrov Prospect in St Petersburg, begun in 1899 and completed in 1904. The structure was also known as the "Lidval House" as he received the commission from his mother, Ida Amalia Lidval. This building, with its Gothic
windows, abundance of decorative elements, and different colors and textures, is often cited as a model of its style. Lidval himself lived in this house until his exile in 1918.
He designed the Azov-Don Commercial Bank Building in St. Petersburg (1907–1813), already showing his characteristic restraint and use of classical elements (the center of the building includes a portico with columns). Lidval also built structures for the Azov-Don Commercial Bank in Moscow
, Astrakhan
, Kiev
, and Kharkov.
The second decade of the Twentieth Century began Lidval's creative heyday. During these years he designed a house for Alfred Nobel
, the Tolstoy House
on Trinity Street (now St. Rubenstein Street) with another facade overlooking the Fontanka Embankment
, and many other buildings. Included among these was the six-storey Hotel Astoria
, which opened in 1912 and was one of the most luxurious hotels in the Russian Empire. He designed (with his mentor Leon Benois) the Art Nouveau redesign of the Grand Hotel Europe
, which had been opened in 1875. Both the Hotel Astoria and Grand Hotel Europe are open to this day as five-star hotels.
Life
Lidval was born in St. Petersburg into a family of RussifiedRussification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
Swedes. In 1882 he attended elementary school at the Swedish Church of St. Catherine, and then the second Petersburg Technical High School in 1888. For two years he worked in Baron Stieglitz's School of Technical Drawing.
From 1890 to 1896 Lidval was a student in the architectural department of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, studying (1894–1896) in the workshop of the eminent architect Leon Benois
Leon Benois
Leon Benois was a Russian architect. He was the son of architect Nicholas Benois, the brother of artists Alexandre Benois and Albert Benois, and the grandfather of the actor Sir Peter Ustinov...
. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1896 with the title "Artist-Architect".
From 1909 he was a member of the Academy of Architecture, an arm of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
In 1918, ruined by the revolution, he was forced to emigrate to his family in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, ending the most fruitful period of his work which is connected with St. Petersburg, although he designed several buildings in Stockholm .
He died in poverty and obscurity in 1945 and is buried in Stockholm in Djursholm Cemetery.
Works
Lidval began to play a significant role in the architecture of St. Petersburg in the first decade of the Twentieth Century. At the beginning of his career, he was a typical follower of the prevailing Modernist style.One of his early works was an apartment building of the type called in Russia a "finance house", on Kamennoostrov Prospect in St Petersburg, begun in 1899 and completed in 1904. The structure was also known as the "Lidval House" as he received the commission from his mother, Ida Amalia Lidval. This building, with its Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
windows, abundance of decorative elements, and different colors and textures, is often cited as a model of its style. Lidval himself lived in this house until his exile in 1918.
He designed the Azov-Don Commercial Bank Building in St. Petersburg (1907–1813), already showing his characteristic restraint and use of classical elements (the center of the building includes a portico with columns). Lidval also built structures for the Azov-Don Commercial Bank in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, and Kharkov.
The second decade of the Twentieth Century began Lidval's creative heyday. During these years he designed a house for Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer. He is the inventor of dynamite. Nobel also owned Bofors, which he had redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major manufacturer of cannon and other armaments...
, the Tolstoy House
Tolstoy House
The Tolstoy House is a large and well-known apartment building in St. Petersburg, located at 15-17 Rubenstein Street and 54 Fontanka Embankment. The building was designed by Fyodor Lidval in the “Northern Modern” style....
on Trinity Street (now St. Rubenstein Street) with another facade overlooking the Fontanka Embankment
Fontanka
Fontanka is a left branch of the river Neva, which flows through the whole of Central Saint Petersburg, Russia. Its length is 6,700 meters, its width is up to 70 meters, and its depth is up to 3,5 meters. The Fontanka Embankment is lined with the former private residences of Russian nobility.This...
, and many other buildings. Included among these was the six-storey Hotel Astoria
Hotel Astoria
Hotel Astoria is a five-star hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia opened in 1912. It has 213 bedrooms, including 52 suites.It is located on Saint Isaac's Square, next to Saint Isaac's Cathedral and across from the historic Imperial German Embassy...
, which opened in 1912 and was one of the most luxurious hotels in the Russian Empire. He designed (with his mentor Leon Benois) the Art Nouveau redesign of the Grand Hotel Europe
Grand Hotel Europe
Grand Hotel Europe vies with Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel and Hotel Astoria for the title of the most luxurious five-star hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia....
, which had been opened in 1875. Both the Hotel Astoria and Grand Hotel Europe are open to this day as five-star hotels.