Peterskoi Palace, Moscow — engraving

"Peterskoi Palace, Moscow".

Technique, Material:   Steel engraving / Paper
Artist: D. Bydgoszcz,  Engraver: Albert Henry Payne
Date, Publisher:  Brain & Payne, 12 Paternoster Row, London,  "Payne‘s Universum, or, Pictorial World",1845–1847.
Size: sheet 24x18, image 15x11,7 cm.

This engraving presents a view of the Petrovsky Palace (also spelled "Peterskoi Palace" in the print) — one of Moscow's most remarkable architectural landmarks, located on the road from St. Petersburg to Moscow (today's Leningradsky Prospekt).

The Petrovsky Palace was built between 1776 and 1780 by order of Empress Catherine the Great to commemorate Russia's victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 . The land for construction was formerly owned by the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, from which the palace takes its name. The architect was Matvey Kazakov, one of Russia's most distinguished architects, who created a masterpiece of Russian pseudo-Gothic (or Russian Gothic) style, blending elements of Gothic, Baroque, and ancient Russian architecture.

The palace served as a "way palace" (путевой дворец) — a resting place for the imperial family and nobles making the long journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow. The central dome was designed to resemble the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, symbolizing Russia's triumph over the Ottoman Empire, while the side wings feature towers reminiscent of minarets.

Catherine II herself stayed here only twice: in 1785 on her way from Novgorod, and in 1787 returning from Crimea . From the time of Paul I onward, all Russian emperors used the Petrovsky Palace as their final stop before their coronation ceremonies in the Kremlin.

Perhaps its most dramatic moment came in September 1812, when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied the palace for four days while Moscow burned around him. From its windows, the French emperor watched the great fire that consumed the city, an event immortalized by Pushkin in Eugene Onegin. After the French retreat, the palace was looted by local peasants and fell into disrepair.

Restoration began under Nicholas I in the 1820s–30s, supervised by architect Ivan Tamansky, who followed Kazakov's original plans while modifying some interior decorations. In 1827, a regular park was laid out around the palace by Adam Menelaws, which became a beloved recreation spot for Muscovites.

The Krakow National Museum holds a copy of this exact print in its collection (object number MNK III-ryc.-62328), confirming its origin from the 1845 edition of Payne's Universum.

This engraving would have introduced European audiences to the exotic pseudo-Gothic architecture of imperial Russia, showcasing a palace that embodied both military triumph and the romantic medievalism popular in the 19th century.