Victor Schröter
Encyclopedia
Victor Aleksandrovich Schröter (1839–1901) was a Russian architect of German ethnicity.
in St. Petersburg. He then attended the Imperial Academy of Arts
, then (1856 - 1862) the Berlin Academy of Art. At the end of his training there he received a gold medal, a rare honor for a foreigner.
In 1858 Schröter was admitted to the Architect's Association in Berlin. He then traveled and studied architecture in Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria. After returning to St. Petersburg, he was invited to join the faculty of the Construction College.
In 1862, Schröter's work was submitted to the Imperial Academy of Arts, which awarded him the title of Artist, XIV Class. In 1864, for a project of ideas for the development of St. Petersburg requested by the Duma
, he was recognized as an Academician of Architecture. After that he occupied a prominent place among the architects of St. Petersburg as both a theoretician and a practitioner, a champion of the rational direction of Eclecticism
.
Schröter proved to a be a master at designing structures of that were well-built but also economical. He designed many private houses featuring Russia's first use of facades built with natural stone and brick fired at high temperatures, without plaster - "Brick Style", a Russian variant of Art Nouveau
- which influenced other architects and builders.
Schröter had in important role in the construction of the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich
(now the House of Scientists) on the Palace Embankment
in 1867 - 1885). He designed theatres in Kiev
, Irkutsk
, Nizhniy Novgorod and Tiflis and the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
; the Orthodox Church of Saint Sergius in Bad Kissingen
, a grand theater which was planned for the Campus Martius
in St. Petersburg, and a railway station in Odessa
.
Schröter's collaboration with Andrei Huhn won the competition to design the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
in Tiflis, but his design was judged too costly to execute and was replaced with one by David Grim - whom Schröter later collaborated with on the colossal monument to Catherine the Great on Nevsky Prospect in Petersburg.
Schröter rebuilt the facade of the Mariinsky Theatre
after a fire in 1880, and as a token of gratitude for his work on the restructuring and expansion of the theater he was presented with a unique model of the theater, made of silver. During the Siege of Leningrad
his daughter Maria melted this down for the silver content.
Schröter remained almost until his death at the Institute of Civil Engineers (the new name of the Construction College after 1882). He was in public service from 1867, and on August 30, 1886, he was given the rank of Actual State Councillor, which gave him the privilege of hereditary nobility, and later the rank of Actual Privy Councillor, which entitled him to be addressed as Your High Excellency.
Schröter was a senior architect in the Department of Principalities, chief architect of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters, an assistant inspector of the building department under the His Majesty's Cabinet, and was a member of various committees, He took an active part in the establishment and work of the St. Petersburg Society of Architects and was for some time the editor of its journal, Architect.
in Poland ).
Schröter died on April 16, 1901, and is buried in the Smolensky Lutheran Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
Career
Schröter was born on April 27, 1839, in St. Petersburg of Baltic German ancestry. His father was Alexander Gottlieb Schröter. He attended (1851 — 1856) the Petrischule run by St. Peter's Lutheran ChurchLutheran Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The Lutheran Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is a Lutheran church located in Saint Petersburg, Russia...
in St. Petersburg. He then attended the Imperial Academy of Arts
Imperial Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, was founded in 1757 by Ivan Shuvalov under the name Academy of the Three Noblest Arts. Catherine the Great renamed it the Imperial Academy of Arts and commissioned a new building, completed 25 years later in 1789...
, then (1856 - 1862) the Berlin Academy of Art. At the end of his training there he received a gold medal, a rare honor for a foreigner.
In 1858 Schröter was admitted to the Architect's Association in Berlin. He then traveled and studied architecture in Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria. After returning to St. Petersburg, he was invited to join the faculty of the Construction College.
In 1862, Schröter's work was submitted to the Imperial Academy of Arts, which awarded him the title of Artist, XIV Class. In 1864, for a project of ideas for the development of St. Petersburg requested by the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
, he was recognized as an Academician of Architecture. After that he occupied a prominent place among the architects of St. Petersburg as both a theoretician and a practitioner, a champion of the rational direction of Eclecticism
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
.
Schröter proved to a be a master at designing structures of that were well-built but also economical. He designed many private houses featuring Russia's first use of facades built with natural stone and brick fired at high temperatures, without plaster - "Brick Style", a Russian variant of Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
- which influenced other architects and builders.
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia ) was a son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia...
(now the House of Scientists) on the Palace Embankment
Palace Embankment
The Palace Embankment or Palace Quay is a street along the Neva River in Central Saint Petersburg which contains the complex of the Hermitage Museum buildings , the Hermitage Theatre, the Marble Palace, the Vladimir Palace, the New Michael Palace and the Summer Garden.The street was laid out...
in 1867 - 1885). He designed theatres in 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....
, Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
, Nizhniy Novgorod and Tiflis and the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is situated on Rustaveli Avenue, in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the oldest opera house in Georgia...
; the Orthodox Church of Saint Sergius in Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, a grand theater which was planned for the Campus Martius
Field of Mars (Saint Petersburg)
The Field of Mars or Marsovo Polye is a large park named after the Mars - Roman god of war situated in the center of Saint-Petersburg, with an area of about 9 hectares. Bordering the Field of Mars to the north are the Marble Palace, Suvorova Square and Betskoi’s and Saltykov’s houses. To the west...
in St. Petersburg, and a railway station in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
.
Schröter's collaboration with Andrei Huhn won the competition to design the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tiflis
The St. Alexander Nevsky Military Cathedral of Tiflis was an Orthodox Christian cathedral in downtown Tiflis , Georgia, constructed during the Imperial Russian rule in the 1871-1872 and 1889-1897 and demolished by the Soviet authorities in 1930...
in Tiflis, but his design was judged too costly to execute and was replaced with one by David Grim - whom Schröter later collaborated with on the colossal monument to Catherine the Great on Nevsky Prospect in Petersburg.
Schröter rebuilt the facade of the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
after a fire in 1880, and as a token of gratitude for his work on the restructuring and expansion of the theater he was presented with a unique model of the theater, made of silver. During the Siege of Leningrad
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
his daughter Maria melted this down for the silver content.
Schröter remained almost until his death at the Institute of Civil Engineers (the new name of the Construction College after 1882). He was in public service from 1867, and on August 30, 1886, he was given the rank of Actual State Councillor, which gave him the privilege of hereditary nobility, and later the rank of Actual Privy Councillor, which entitled him to be addressed as Your High Excellency.
Schröter was a senior architect in the Department of Principalities, chief architect of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters, an assistant inspector of the building department under the His Majesty's Cabinet, and was a member of various committees, He took an active part in the establishment and work of the St. Petersburg Society of Architects and was for some time the editor of its journal, Architect.
Family
In 1869, in his thirtieth birthday, Schröter married Marie Christine Nissen (June 6, 1844 - June 4, 1924). The couple had eight children, of whom two - Otto and George - became architects, and his daughter Maria an artist. His daughter Anna (Anna Ida Antonie Schröter) was born on August 9, 1877, in St. Petersburg and died on December 18, 1840 in Neustadt in Prussia (now WejherowoWejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
in Poland ).
Schröter died on April 16, 1901, and is buried in the Smolensky Lutheran Cemetery in St. Petersburg.