#Anastasia of Russia

[zegalba]

Needle Ice overtakes an apartment in Russia. Photograhed: Anastasia Popelka

[krasivaa]

Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Anastasia Nikolaevna and Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia in 1913.

[imperial-russia]

The Imperial Family in the Livadia Palace by Daria Buravtseva

"In my work ... I set the task of showing a long-gone era, and people whose fate personifies the tragedy of the Russian Empire. One day I was traveling the Crimea and visiting palaces, wandering through museum halls filled with Crimean air and scorching sun. At that moment, a long-gone era appeared before me as if it were yesterday.

I wanted to show the Romanovs not as the royal seven, but as living happy people. I had a desire to show that history is multifaceted and consists not only of tragic moments but is also full of happy moments in the lives of historical figures."

[dontforgetukraine]

"In response to attacks and accusations being directed at our film, 'Russains at War,' and myiself, I want to be clear that this Canada-France co-production is an anti-war film made atg great risk to all involved, myself especially. I unequivocally believe that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is unjustified, illegal and acknowledge the validity of the International Criminal Court investigation of war crimes in Ukraine. The suggestion that our film is propaganda is ludicrous given that I'm now at risk of criminal prosecution in Russia. I also understand and empathize with the pain and anger that the subject matter may provoke in those who have suffered from this conflict. My mother emigrated to Canada, from Russia, so that we could live in a country that is devoted to freedom of expression and human rights. My hope is that our film can be assessed and discussed based on its scope and not agendas and assumptions beyond its frame, and that ultimately such discussions contribute to the war's end." —Anastasia Trofimova, Director/Producer, Russians at War (Source)

Bullshit. She's a director and producer for RT with most if not all of her films funded by RT. I guess she apparently wasn't vetted by the Canada-France co-producers.

Even if promoting Russian propaganda wasn't her intention, it can't be separated from the content. The damn trailer has soldiers saying propaganda narratives in it. (Kyiv Independent)

"Russia and Ukraine have always been inseparable. I miss the brotherly Union" reinforces the false narrative that Ukraine cannot exist as an independent state, that Russia and Ukrainian history are inseparable. Even Putin has said similar things.

“I came (to war) today so that my kids don’t go tomorrow,” conveying the belief that their military aggression in Ukraine is somehow just.

"An order was given. We went." Ah, yes, I was just following orders. Where have we heard that one before, I wonder. Not only that, it reinforces the narrative that ordinary Russians are powerless and blameless in this conflict. This isn't their war, but Putin's war. Fuck that. We know many sign up willingly such as for the money or a clean slate if they are a convict.

You can't separate the propaganda ordinary russians have been stewing in for decades and don't fight back against from this film, sweetheart. It's part of the damned context and you don't get to ignore that. Either she actually realizes that but doesn't want to say it, or she's a useful idiot. It doesn't matter which, because the result is the same.

"The fog of war is so thick that you can't see the human stories its made of."

Yes we can! This isn't the era of WW2. We can see it on Telegram! All the war crimes that are willingly committed and recorded and posted pridefully! All the ethnic slurs said to Ukrainians! All the interviews between journalists and POWs. The translations by volunteer translators showing what "ordinary Russians" on the street actually think about Ukrainians and the war. Even what the families of russian soldiers think. Never before have these stories been more accessible. That's not agendas or assumptions.

We. Can. See. It.

Just because you don't like what's in the information space doesn't mean it's not supremely relevant to the topic you're trying to shape into a narrative.

[roses-of-the-romanovs]

OTMA during their last formal photoshoot, August 1916.

[empress-alexandra]

Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia of Russia, 1914.

[la-belle-histoire]

Portrait of Anastasia Mikhailovna de Torby, Philip de László. 1913.

[foreverinthepagesofhistoryy]

New photo of Grand Duchesses Anastasia and Olga Nikolaevna, Mogilev 1916

Photo shared by Ilya aka LastRomanovs on Flickr and Sledstvie on Instagram

[otmaaromanovas]

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna’s peach tercentenary kokoshnik, created to celebrate 300 years of the Romanov dynasty

The kokoshnik was made by nuns at the Starotorzhsky Convent, and is part of a set made for the Tsar’s four daughters to celebrate the Tercentenary of the Romanov Dynasty in 1913. Two other kokoshniki, owned by Grand Duchesses Tatiana and Anastasia, are in the Museum’s collection. There are no known (as of May 2024) photographs of the Grand Duchesses wearing their kokoshniks. 

Olga’s kokoshnik is made of peach velvet fabric, with satin ribbons used to secure the headdress. The kokoshnik is adorned with numerous precious stones, including pearls, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and moonstones. An intricately beaded double-headed eagle sits in the centre of the headdress, symbolising the Romanov dynasty, intricately hand stitched.

The kokoshnik is preserved in its original presentation box, including its plaque, which reads  “To Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Nikolaevsky Starotorzhsky nunnery, Galich, Kostroma province. 1913” in Cyrillic. The Romanovs visited Kostroma as part of the Tercentenary tour in May. Preserved in its original box, the label still reads “Alexander Palace, the Children’s Half, Grand Duchesses’ drawing room.” 

The kokoshnik was sold to an international market in the decades following the Revolution, similar to a number of other jewels and artefacts that remained at the Alexander Palace and Winter Palace following the departure of the Romanovs. Meanwhile, Tatiana and Anastasia’s kokoshniks remained at Tsarskoe Selo, and were evacuated to safety during WWII. They have remained at the Museum ever since. Maria’s kokoshnik is still lost - perhaps owned by a private collector.

Olga’s kokoshnik was acquired by the Tsarskoe Selo State Museum Preserve in the early September 2014, for over $15,000 from a private collector. The kokoshnik was recently exhibited in St. Petersburg at the OTMA + Alexei exhibition. 

Bonus edit by me of what the kokoshnik might have looked like!

Sources: Ekaterina Potselueva / Tsarskoe Selo State Museum Preserve

Photographs: svetskyspb, babs71, Tsarskoe Selo State Museum Preserve 

[fashionhistory]

OTMA at breakfast, 1916

[yornationalanthem]

Grand Duchess Olga and Tatiana Nikolaevna and their evening dresses

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

[imperial-russia]

A rather unusual, but moving modern icon of the Imperial passion-bearers

[roses-of-the-romanovs]

The Romanov siblings aboard the Standart.

(last gif by @teatimeatwinterpalace)

[empress-alexandra]

Grand Duchess Maria Nicholaievna of Russia and her younger sister Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaievna of Russia visiting wounded soldiers, 1915.

[romanov-family-photos]

Olga Nikolaevna

Round/oval face shape

Kind eyes

Thin lips

Broader forehead

Small nose

Tatiana Nikolaevna

Cat like eyes

More soft but chiseled features

Thin lips

Slightly pointy chin

Straight nose

Maria Nikolaevna

Round/oval face

Huge round eyes (Mashka’s saucers)

Thick lips

Chubby

Small and slightly upturned nose

Strong and thick eye brows

Anastasia Nikolaevna

Long nose

Thin lips

Small eyes

Long face

Obvious fringe

Eyes seem to be laughing

Alexei Nikolaevich

Visibly the youngest

Obviously Alexei