Messmacher M. E. (1842-1906), architect

Categories / Architecture/Personalia
MESSMACHER Maximilian Egorovich (1842, St. Petersburg 1906), architect, associate academy member of architecture (1872). Graduated from Peterschule, the School of Painting of the St. Petersburg Society of Artists, in 1867 - the Academy of Fine Arts. As a retainer of the Academy of Fine Arts visited Italy, and old Russian towns. Over 200 watercolours, brought by Messmacher, are held in the State Hermitage Department of Drawings. Messmacher served as architect in public establishments and taught at the School of Painting of the St. Petersburg Society of Artists (SpbSA) (rebuilt the house of SpbSA). From 1879, he was the first to be appointed director of Baron A.L. Stieglitz’s Central School of Technical Drawing; immensely contributed to the development of art education in Russia, worked out a coherent system of academic training. He engaged in doing the finishings for the mansions of aristocrats and members of the royal family. His works contain among other things, some church interiors, in particular, the project of the icon wall of Smolny Cathedral, restoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral (from 1882, Мessmacher was appointed the chief architect of the church), rebuilding of the church of SS. Kosma&Damian at the Sapper Life Guards Battalion on Kirochnaya Street. (1876-79). Messmacher's most significant works in St. Petersburg are: the palaces of the Grand Prince Alexey Alexandrovich on the Moika River Embankment (1882-85) and, of the Grand Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich at the Admiralty Embankment (1885-88), the building of the State Assembly Archives on Millionnaya Street (1883-87), the interiors of the palaces of the Grand Prince Vladimir and Grand Prince Pavel Alexandrovich, Anichkov Palace, Polovtsev Mansion (1882-92). Gained fame through the reconstruction (1885-86) of the building of Baron A.L. Stieglitz School of technical drawing (built in 1878-81, architect R.A. Gedike, A.I. Krakau) and the erection of the museum building affiliated with the School (1885-96). Messmacher's works are distinctive due to a refined expressiveness of the silhouette, grandeur and diversity of artistic and decorative techniques for the facades, and especially those of interiors, in keeping with the principles of Eclecticism. One of Messmacher's last works is the interior of the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church (1895-97).

Reference: Тыжненко Т. Е. Максимилиан Месмахер. Л., 1984; Ее же. Максимилиан Месмахер // Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга, XIX - начало ХХ века. СПб., 1998. С. 471-490; Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996. С. 214.

M. N. Mikishatiev. Alexey Alexandrovich, Grand Prince
Gedike Robert Andreevich
Krakau Georg Alexander (Alexander Ivanovich)
Messmacher Maximilian Egorovich
Mikhail Mikhailovich, Grand Prince
Pavel Alexandrovich, Grand Prince
Polovtsov Alexander Alexandrovich
Stieglitz Alexander Ludwigovich, Baron
Vladimir Alexandrovich, Grand Prince
Admiralteyskaya Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Kirochnaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Millionnaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Тыжненко Т. Е. Максимилиан Месмахер. Л., 1984
Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996
Тыжненко Т. Е. Максимилиан Месмахер // Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга, XIX - начало ХХ века. СПб., 1998 St. Petrischule
Academy of Arts
Academy of Arts
Crafts Academy
Cathedral of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Holy Resurrection Temple
St. Isaac's Cathedral
Anichkov Palace
Polovtsov, House of
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
1885
1887