Historical knitters: Tsarina Alexandra and the Grand Duchesses
I've been meaning to get back to my monthly posts featuring literary knitters (or other crafters), and yesterday I came across a group of historical knitters in the book I'm currently reading; The Romanovs 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore.
As Alexandra and the girls [the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia] did their knitting, behind her chair, bringing into splendid relief her bright gold hair, recalled Anna, stood a huge Negro servant gorgeous in scarlet trousers, gold embroidered jacket and white turban.
As, in the passage before, Montefiore had commented on the families enthusiastic embracing of photography, I was hopefully I would find an image online of the Romanov knitters. I couldn't find one showing the exact scene described in the book, but I did find some other images.
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| Tsarina Alexandra knitting on the Royal yacht Standard, 1908 Source |
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| Tsarina Alexandra knitting in the outfit of a Red Cross Nurse, c.1915 Source |
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| Grand Duchess Anastasia knitting (something very large) in her mother's boudoir Source |
What wonderful pictures! I'm fascinated by the way their hands hold the needles. Poor little Grand Duchess Anastasia must have been almost pulled off her stool by the weight of that great horse blanket!!
ReplyDeleteI know, I can only assume that it is some sort of 'good work' knitting for the poor she is doing! At least it would keep her warm during the long Russian winter.
DeleteWhat wonderful pictures! I'm fascinated by the way their hands hold the needles. Poor little Grand Duchess Anastasia must have been almost pulled off her stool by the weight of that great horse blanket!!
ReplyDeleteLooks to me as if they are all crocheting, from the angle of the needle and the fact that they only seem to have one...
ReplyDeleteThey could well be crocheting, certainly the Tsarina. As a knitter who doesn't like crochet much, I might possibly be using knitting in a pejorative way :)
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