Grimm D.I., Grimm G.D., Grimm G.G., architects

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GRIMMS, a dynasty of architects, theorists, art historians and teachers. David Ivanovich Grimm (1823, St. Petersburg - 1898), architect, representative of Eclecticism, master of the Russo-Byzantine style, historian of Caucasian Architecture. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts (1848), from 1855 he was a Member of the Academy. In 1852-1855, he was sent abroad to study as a retained student. In 1857-1863, he taught at the Construction School, and from 1859, at the Academy of Fine Arts (professor from 1860; Rector of Architecture in 1887-1892; Honourable Member from 1892). In 1865-1871, he was an architect with the Department of Water Lines; from 1867, he was a member of the Technical Architectural Committee. He was a member of the editorial board of the journal Zodchy (1870-s); he also helped found the Petersburg Architects Society, of which he became a Senior Member (from 1870), and then the Head (1888-1890), later to be given the status of Honoured Member. From 1892, he was an architect for the Highest Royal Court. He designed and built an apartment house at 42 Moika River Embankment (1867-1870); the St. Olga Church at Mikhailovka (1861-1863); and Holy Virgin Intercession Church at the Egerskaya settlement in Gatchina (1883). In 1862-1863, he built the Reformed Church following a project by architect G.A. Bosse on Bolshaya Morskaya Street. His design for the Grand Princes' Burial Vault (1885-1887) was constructed from 1896-1908. Both the Golden Sitting Room at the Winter Palace and the Academy of Fine Arts Library were constructed and decorated according to sketches by Grimm. He designed the architectural part of the monument to Empress Catherine II and was responsible for its installation (1862-1873); he created the Monument to Glory, in memory of Russia's victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, constructed out of wooden frames from trophy guns seized from the Turks (not preserved). He is buried at the Smolenskoe Lutheran Cemetery. His son, German Davidovich Grimm (1865, St. Petersburg - 1942, Leningrad), was an architect, a representative of the Art Nouveau, Neoclassicism and Neo-Russian styles. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts (1890), was an Academic of Architecture (1895), and a Member of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR (1939). In 1889, upon graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, he was sent abroad as a scholar. From 1900, he taught at the Civil Engineering Institute (professor from 1901). From 1907, he was an architect, and an inspector with the Building Board of the Department of Institutions of Empress Maria. In the 1900s, he was a senior member of the board, headed the museum, and was a member of the Petersburg Society of Architects Council. His most important buildings from the 1890s - beginning of 1900s include the Society for Religious-Moral Education House (20 Stremyannaya Street), an apartment house at 26 Third Line of Vasilievsky Island, and the St. John the Baptist Church (16 Lesnoy Avenue, together with G.G. Goli). Grimm's main work is the Suvorov Memorial Museum building (1901-1904, in co-operation with A.I. Gogen). In 1903-1905, he built apartment houses at 37 Eighth Line of Vasilievsky Island and at 4 Syezzhinskaya Street; in 1904-1908, the Holy Resurrection Church on Obvodny Canal Embankment (in co-operation with Goli and A.L. Gun); and in 1909, buildings for the gymnasium and of the Actual May School (Fourteenth Line of Vasilievsky Island). Outstanding buildings from the period of 1913-1915 include the A.F. Devrien Publishing House (14 Fourth Line of Vasilievsky Island) and the buildings of a school and orphanage (55 Bolshoy Avenue of Vasilievsky Island). In the 1920s-30s, he worked as an architect for the People's Commissariat for Communication Routes. He died during the Siege. His son, German Germanovich Grimm (1904, St. Petersburg - 1959, Leningrad), was an engineer-builder, historian of architecture, museum specialist, and Doctor of Architecture (1946). Graduating from Leningrad Engineering Building Institute in 1930, from 1936, he worked at the Academy of Fine Arts. He is the author of a number of works in the style of Russian Classicism. He lived at 5 Barmaleeva Street. He is buried at the Serafimovskoe Cemetery.

References: Леонтьева С. Ф. Хранитель памяти: Страницы творч. биогр. Г. Г. Гримма // ЛП. 1983. № 6. С. 29-31; Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996; Иванова Е. Б. Давид Гримм // Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга, XIX - начало XX века. СПб., 1998. С. 433-336.

V. G. Isachenko. Bosse G.A. (see Bosse Yu.A.)
Catherine II, Empress
Devrien Alfred Fedorovich
Gogen Alexander Ivanovich von
Goli Gustav Gustavovich von
Grimm David Ivanovich
Grimm German Davidovich
Grimm German Germanovich
Gun Andrey Leontievich
May Karl Ivanovich
Suvorov Alexander Arkadievich, Count
the Grimms
3d Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 26
4th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 13
8th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 37
14th Line Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city
Barmaleeva St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 5
Bolshaya Morskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Bolshoy Ave of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 55
Lesnaya Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 16
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 42
Obvodny Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Stremyannaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 20
Syezzhinskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 4
Леонтьева С. Ф. Хранитель памяти: Страницы творч. биогр. Г. Г. Гримма // Ленингр. панорама, 1983
Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996
Иванова Е. Б. Давид Гримм // Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга, XIX - начало XX века. СПб., 1998 Academy of Arts
Academy of Arts
Zodchiy (The Architect), journal
Society of Architects, Petersburg
Society of Architects, Petersburg
Grand Princes’ Burial Vault
Winter Palace
Art Nouveau
Suvorov Memorial Museum
May's Gymnasium
Siege of 1941-44
Seraphimovskoe Cemetery