Victoria & Catherine II : Deux reines, deux empires, un destin impérial 👑 | Trésors du Patrimoine

Victoria & Catherine II : Deux reines, deux empires, un destin impérial 👑 | Trésors du Patrimoine

It was when Victoria sat
in this chair that she truly realized she was
about to become queen. So why not go
to the pub when your house is so awful? I wanted to create a castle
to impress his friends. It’s worth it. I don’t know a police officer
smart enough to arrest me. Your friend Jack the Ripper. She is only 18 years old and her
energetic, passionate temperament already shines through. You better be hungry,
because this isn’t over. Catherine II wanted this palace,
which she had built especially for her favourite,
to be equal to that of a tsar. She was absolutely dazzled by
Potemkin’s sensual performances. Even pieces
of Voltaire’s saliva are preserved here. It demonstrates to all of Europe
that from now on, at the head of Russia, there is a civilized empress. She is jealous of everything.
This new episode of the Grand Tour will take us in the footsteps of two great
sovereigns who left their mark on Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. These are Catherine II in Russia,
where we will go in the second part of this trip, and Queen
Victoria in Great Britain. Hence our arrival here in London,
in this Saint Pancras station which is one of the vestiges of the Victorian era. London was deeply influenced by the 19th
century, and this century was the century of a woman, Queen Victoria. This is his story that I
am going to tell you. Hello!
Are you free? Westminster Abbey, please?
Okay. So why start
the story with Westminster Abbey? Well, quite simply because that’s where
the young Victoria’s destiny will change. In the heart of London stands
the imposing Westminster Abbey. It is the symbol of the English royal family
for weddings, funerals or coronations. The fourth Popess. June 28, 1838. Young Victoria was crowned Queen
of the United Kingdom, Great Britain and Ireland. The Abbey is sparkling for the occasion. There are special
seating areas for the thousands of guests. Historian Lucy Worsley
opens the doors of the chapel to us. The most symbolic piece of furniture
from the ceremony is kept there. The coronation chair. This throne is over 700 years old. It was designed for Edward I. Its peculiarity is that it has been
used for every coronation. Since then, it has been the
oldest and most important piece of furniture here. It was when Victoria sat
in this chair that she truly realized she was
about to become queen. Since the first coronation in the 11th
century, the highly coded ceremonial has remained unchanged. But that day, the surprise. Not everything goes as planned. The Dean of Westminster was ill at the
time and no one really remembers the protocol. So there’s this slight
atmosphere of chaos. Some people didn’t know what was
supposed to happen, starting with the queen. At one point, the Bishop of Durham gives her
the royal globe and she wonders what to do with it. She doesn’t know. At another point,
the Archbishop of Canterbury puts a ring on his finger,
but he puts it on the wrong finger. It’s too tight. He will therefore force it. It was very painful for Victoria. And just before the end,
the Bishop of Basse and Wells skips several pages of the booklet
and the service ends suddenly. But he realizes the mistake
and goes back and finishes the ceremony properly. To celebrate. These few blunders will go almost
unnoticed, so strong is the emotion in the assembly
when the procession leaves the abbey. There are 400
people cheering Victoria. The new queen finally puts an end to the
succession of several unloved kings. Victoria Victoria came from the
Hanoverian dynasty which had become very unpopular. There was a mad, old king,
a king who was bad, who drank a lot and had
a lot of mistresses. And there was one king who didn’t really
leave a good impression since he was more of an ordinary man. He was Victoria’s uncle. So when she comes to power,
she is 18 years old, she is beautiful. She is a romantic,
fresh and virginal figure. It is the symbol of a
rebirth for the monarchy. And everyone is happy.
She represents hope for the future. However, nothing predestined
the young girl to become queen. King William IV had no
legitimate child to succeed him. It will therefore be his niece Victoria
who will inherit the crown. To tell you Victoria’s story,
I’ll take you to central London, to Kensington Palace. It was here, at Kensington Palace,
that Victoria would spend her childhood. A childhood that wasn’t very happy,
according to his own words. In fact, she is an orphan
and she is raised between a mother who is greedy for power and a squire who will
serve as her real Cerberus. So this palace?
Well, do you recognize him? It has recently been in the
spotlight, as it is where William and Kate
and their son George now live. Kensington Palace has been one
of the residences of the British royal family for over three centuries. In 1819, Prince Edward Augustus and his
wife, the Duchess of Kent, moved there. Their daughter Victoria
was born that same year. Despite the exceptional destiny that awaits
Victoria, she will live a melancholic youth in this room,
under the strict control of her mother. The Duchess of Kent is convinced
that Victoria will one day ascend to the throne. She prepares her daughter for this eventuality
and imposes a very strict education on her. The Duchess. The Duchess of Kent has drawn up
a set of rules for her daughter to protect her. Known as the
Kensington Live By system. This defined a framework of life
that the princess had to respect. For example,
when she went up or down the stairs, she had to
hold someone’s hand. She was also isolated
from children her own age. She was always in the company of an
adult and never left alone in a room. And the worst of all these rules
was that she had to share a room with her mother
until she was 18. This protection allows the Duchess
to serve her own interests. Indeed, if Victoria were to inherit
the crown before she came of age, it would be she, her mother, who would become regent. Helped by her manipulative steward,
she will do everything to be able to exercise power. The Duchess of Kent. The Duchess of Kent’s control
over her daughter is growing even more. In 1836, when Victoria contracted
an illness that left her bedridden. Trying to recover and she was. She was so sick that she
could no longer walk and had lost a lot of hair. It was at this point that the Duchess
and Sir John Conroy took the opportunity to try to convince
the Princess to sign a document. This stipulated that if the King died
before Victoria’s 18th birthday, the Duchess would become Regent
and Sir Conroy her personal secretary. Victoria will not sign this paper. This refusal already testifies to her strength
of character, an iron will that she will demonstrate throughout her life. For the time being, his uncle William IV is
still on the throne, but his health is declining. The king had made a resolution. He wanted to stay alive
until Victoria was 18. And.
He did. So it was only. He died less than a month after
Victoria’s 18th birthday. Thus, the problem of
regency no longer arose. On June 20, 1837, William IV died
and Victoria’s destiny changed. She becomes queen. This Red Room is particularly
interesting because it was here that the young Princess Victoria would
deliver her first Queen’s Speech. Indeed, that day, at 6 a.m.,
she learned of the death of her uncle William IV and that it was
now she who would reign over the kingdom. At 11 a.m., she
enters this living room. She has in front of her a hundred
men, all the officials of the kingdom. And this scene is
depicted in this painting. This painting clearly shows the impact
that this young queen has on the faces of these men. She was only 18 at the time. She is five feet tall and her
energetic and passionate temperament already shines through. She officially signs that she
accepts to become queen. So for the record, well that day,
she was not dressed in white. She wears a
black dress as a sign of mourning. But clearly, the artist wanted to make
this young queen even more luminous. The New Sovereign leaves
Kensington Palace. She would not return there for 30 years. She chose Buckingham Palace
as her new royal residence. Victoria was the first sovereign
to officially move into this immense palace. Victoria is queen, but unmarried. Social conventions require
her to find a husband. At the age of 20, she saw her first cousin,
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, whom she had met a few years earlier. The teenager has grown into
an attractive young man. It was love at first sight. Contrary to tradition,
it was she who proposed to Albert. The wedding was celebrated
on February 10, 1840. All eyes were on
her, and more particularly on her dress. This is Holford and a
wedding dress designer. She explains Victoria’s outfit to us. Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria was petite,
so she had to look tall for the occasion. They designed this neckline that goes all the way around
the neckline and a puffed sleeve. Then they adjusted the dress
at the waist and made a pleated skirt. This is what gives this very
slim silhouette and it is a fashion that we still find today
in wedding dresses. At the time,
it was customary for a monarch to marry in his coronation mantle. But for Albert,
Victoria will make an exception. On the wedding day, she appears
devoid of any sign of royalty. She chose a white silk dress. Contrary to popular belief, white was
not chosen to symbolize purity. Historically, Victoria wore white
because the color was a sign of wealth. At the time, it was difficult
to obtain a light silk dress. Current whitening techniques did not yet exist
. That we have today. Queen Victoria. The marriage of the Queen and Prince Albert
clearly showed that they were devoted to each other for the rest of their lives. He symbolized happiness. This is what you might
call a successful marriage. I think it also helped make
white the symbol of this ceremony as it still is today. Victoria and Albert love each other deeply. They have a lot in common,
including a passion for art. They often give each other gifts. And for Albert’s 24th birthday, well,
Victoria is going to give him her portrait. This painting is extremely precious
because it reveals an intimacy that is extremely rare to see
in a sovereign. Indeed, this is
not an official table. The hair is loose,
the shoulder is slightly bare. There is an unusual,
even daring, closeness here for the time, so much so that Albert will keep this painting
preciously in his room and only the couple will be able to share this emotion. This painting was not revealed
to the public until 1977. The complicity between Victoria and Prince
Albert was not only private. Together, they will reign
over a kingdom in full transformation. This 19th century was marked by the height
of the industrial revolution. New inventions
profoundly change society. London has managed to preserve
the traces of this era in its way of life. Every evening, after work,
Londoners meet in pubs. We are in the
Paddington area, the Victoria and what is called a traditional Victorian pub. It comes, it goes, it comes in white.
Cheers! If it bears the queen’s name,
it is because a legend is told around the counter. Chris is the owner of the place. There is this rumor. Well, I do say a rumor that
Queen Victoria came here for a pint. Going towards Paddington Station. So. I don’t know if it’s true or not,
but in any case, it’s the story I tell everyone. True or false. Legend has shaped this place
for 150 years. Its interior decoration is
entirely dedicated to the queen. In the 19th century, beer brewers
wanted to open quality establishments to attract
the new middle class. They then call on the most
renowned craftsmen to decorate them with the most expensive materials. Everything is done to make you feel
comfortable and stay there for a long time. In the 19th century, there would have been crowds here. The houses were so cold,
damp and poor. In short, very boring. Whereas the pub was this big,
cozy place on the corner where you could have a drink, chat with
people, and maybe flirt a little. And there you have it. So why not go
to the pub when your house is so awful? It’s the same today. While today everyone mixes
in this pub, at the time it was not considered proper to drink
beer with someone of a different rank. So, to avoid losing some of their
customers, the owners have an idea. You see, here you had two
different doors to enter the pub. This one still exists,
that one was condemned. There were a lot of windows. This part, for example, would have been
isolated to provide a separate little corner. There could be another one there,
or another one here, often with sliding doors. This allowed us not to see the bartender. All you had to do was slide the door open
and say, “Hey, could I have another pint?” There were different sections actually. Sometimes customers
wanted a little privacy. It was also a question
of social class. Upstairs, the pub retains an authentic
private space with this English lounge. Charles Dickens is said to have
found inspiration there. The pub owners
won their bet. Customers stay in their establishment for long periods of time,
to the point of lingering a little too long. So we had to find solutions. That means last order. Normally, it rings
at 11:00-10:00 every evening. That means there are ten
minutes left to order a drink. And at 11 o’clock, no more drinks. Closing time in English. This rule was introduced during
the First World War. Pubs used to stay open
longer, but people tended to get too drunk. Since they were drinking every night,
they no longer went to the factory where they were supposed to make the munitions. This is why the government
introduced this law. At Victoria. We continue to ring the bell,
so as not to forget the traditions. How I wanna. I want to share.
With you? I want it. Good time with shame, shame, shame,
shame, shame, shame, shame, shame! Shame!
Shame! Shame! Shame. If the pub is the obligatory passage
for Londoners after work. There is also an
essential moment for them after 12:00: tea time. It’s part of the
Londoner way of life. And to illustrate this moment,
well I suggest you enter this establishment, the Connaught. It’s an institution here in London. It was named after
Queen Victoria’s son, the Duke of Connaught, and is run by
a great French chef, Hélène Darroze. She is waiting for us. We’ll go there. Hélène Darroze is part of a large
family of Michelin-starred chefs from the Southwest of France. Today, she divides her
time between Paris and London. And look, I’ve prepared a tea
time for you and I’m going to introduce you a little to this culture,
to this English tradition. Look, we.
Sits down. We sit down. So. Tea time. So.
He is here.
He is like that. It’s not much for one.
For tea time. So tea time
is almost a real meal. You have to admit,
it’s an institution. Really, the English are
no exception to this. It’s mostly on weekends. Now it’s tea time.
She is sacred. It’s very, very cultural in fact. And it’s a real meal. Me, when I have tea time
after 12 p.m. in the evening, I hardly ever sit down at the table. So we start with sandwiches. So in Tea time. Helen there may be salty.
There is salty. It’s not that he can. This is the first step of tea time,
it’s the savory one with the smoked salmon sandwich , the ham sandwich,
the cheese sandwich and the famous cucumber sandwich. We start with that.
All right. We start with tea, of course. And after that, there’s still a little bit of hunger. But you better be hungry. Because it’s not over.
It’s not over. After the sandwiches,
we have the famous scones which can be had plain or with
dried fruit inside. How do we eat?
we eat it with me, I love it. So we open it in two
like this, you see? I love it.
I am now a scone addict. So cream and lots of cream. You don’t spread it like butter.
Oh no, no. Downright.
Yes yes. We really put a lot of it in.
Hello kilos. Exactly. It’s still not
very light, it must be said. So. And the scone, if it is eaten a little warm,
it is good when it is warm. And after the jam. So here, I choose an
orange, mango and passion fruit jam. So sandwiches first,
then the traditional scone. So.
Exactly. There is a third
part: pastries. Pastries, pastries. You have lots of little desserts,
little fruit pastries. So Tea-time. It’s definitely not a small
snack, it’s a small one. Meal. A meal is a real meal and,
above all, for me, it is a real moment of sharing. You will never find a single person in the restaurant
having tea time.
I’ve never seen anything like this. These are large tables. We share, we. Tea time is a truly special time
in the lives of the English. And what about tea?
So, is tea special? Yes, there is tea. First, they take teas that are
generally fermented and black teas. Their favorite tea
is Earl Grey with bergamot inside. It’s really their tea,
but they still have a real tea menu in all the restaurants,
in all the places where you have tea time. As you have a wine list,
there are 20 or 30 kinds of tea. So. And they have the particularity,
while I ca n’t stand to infuse them. But it’s it’s it’s really very very
very strong and very dark. And that’s something
I don’t like. So, of course, we start with that. In fact, we start by choosing the tea. We know that it was Queen Victoria
who introduced tea time and tea at Buckingham Palace. Today, the Queen continues this. A tradition every day, apparently,
at exactly 1 a.m. in the middle of the afternoon. There you go, that’s it.
With one big peculiarity, which is that wherever she is in the world,
she has tea, tea time and she travels with her water. I believe it is water that comes
from Windsor Castle, but I am not sure of the origin. In any case, we travel with
the water cans for the queen’s tea. That’s enough. And she only takes her tea with
orange marmalade, orange jam. So. All right.
And the English today are. Are fans of this tea time.
But in all of them. THE.
Places, in all generations. My granddaughters today,
who are French, but who have a dual culture,
let’s say tea time for them after 12 p.m. is really a great
time, the Weekend, you know! They took an example. And you yourself when you return to France. I have some tea time
but mostly I invite people over to my house. My girlfriends love it. I bring back the scones
which are almost cooked. I finish cooking them in my oven there
so that they are nice and hot and crispy. And then there we go. I’m bringing back the Clotted Cream
because I have to find some in France. But there you go, it’s a moment that I
really like because it’s a real moment of sharing.
I’m going to taste my scotch. Is he there?
Oh well, that’s nice. So. Now I’m going to taste the tea. Even though I’m not very. Well, there is no more already. More bitter than before. So. In terms of architecture,
Victoria’s reign was marked by the reconstruction of the Palace
of Westminster, destroyed by fire in 1834. It is the seat of Parliament. Big Ben becomes the city’s emblem. This architectural ensemble illustrates
the major trend of the neo-Gothic era. A style that characterizes
many London churches. This is the case of the church of Old Sands. A pure masterpiece built in 1850. Chris Mills awaits us there. He is an architectural historian
and was interested in the new materials used in the construction
of this church. Glass panes are used,
which allows for the construction of large stained-glass windows and allows
more light to enter. Gas lamps were introduced,
which allowed for more colorful interiors to be highlighted
because they were better lit. Iron and sometimes even
steel were used to build large spaces never seen or created before. Architects used these new
materials in their projects, highlighting them directly or
hiding them behind more traditional decorations. Although the decoration of this church is
of medieval inspiration, its construction benefits from the
industrial advances of the time. This little tile. This little tile tells
a big story. It is based on a medieval motif. But during the reign of Victoria,
the method of making earthenware was industrialized. Production then reaches
much higher quantities. In medieval times,
tiles were used in churches, offices, and homes. And this medieval motif was exported
throughout all the territories of the British Empire.
Around the Empire. In the English countryside lies
an exceptional residence. It perfectly illustrates the taste
developed by the aristocracy for this new Neo-Gothic fashion. This is the castle of East North. It overlooks the hills of Herefordshire. This fortress dates
from the beginning of the 19th century. If the exterior is
rather austere, the interior is quite different. It’s always the same, right? James Hervey Bathurst grew up
in this immense house. Today he lives there with
his wife and two daughters. It’s so beautiful. It reminds me that during my childhood,
when it was raining and my brother and I wanted to do something,
my mother told us that we could move around the hall
and the other rooms. And for boys, it was fun
to race inside. This castle has been in the family
for two centuries. In this immense space,
the memories of this line of great collectors accumulate. Each generation of occupants has
contributed their stone to the building. James is
particularly proud of this legacy. This is my ancestor John Thomas Cox,
who had the castle built between 1812 and 1820. He wanted to create a castle
to impress his friends and he did not feel at all threatened by the
development in Europe at that time. In France with the Revolution,
with Napoleon. As English aristocrats,
they said to themselves: I am sure of my position, I am sure of my fortune,
I am going to build something that will last a very long time, and there will be
no revolution in England. It’s worth it. James’s ancestor therefore called upon the
greatest decorators of the time with nearly 100 pieces. The interior design work
will take several decades. The castle is a perfect example
of the decoration in vogue during the Victorian era,
as evidenced by this library. For me, it’s my favorite room
because I love decorating. I think it’s a very good taste,
a very good mix of colors. I love leather books like this. The project is colossal. The furniture is
delivered directly from Italy. The salon was designed by the great
architect of the time, of French origin, Augustus Pugin. He was the one who designed the
neo-Gothic style of the new Parliament. He not only did the decoration,
but he designed the chandelier, the furniture, the table, the desk. They made the tiles, including the chimney. He created the whole atmosphere of this room. The show is going to be a sensation. It was said that perhaps the queen was going to
visit Isnard, but fortunately she did not come because we had
perhaps already done this room. But if she had really come,
we could have maybe made rooms too. For her,
it could be very expensive if she had to renovate her house
to accommodate the queen. In London.
The population exploded in the 19th century. Its population grew from 1 to 6 million. Public hygiene is becoming catastrophic. In 1858, the city was even
invaded by a great stench. This event will push
the authorities to react. The solution to the problem is found
a few kilometers east of the capital, on the banks of the Thames. I’m going to show you a completely
unusual place in the suburbs of London. Come with me. It is a sewage pumping station
in London that dates back to the Victorian era. It houses four huge
steam engines that are responsible for collecting the city’s garbage. It must be said that at that time,
London’s sewers flowed into the Thames and there was so much
rubbish, so much garbage, according to some accounts, that one
could walk on the Thames at low tide. The decoration of this place is very
surprising and at the same time, it contributes to making this station
a true industrial cathedral. These machines are among the
largest steam engines of the time. They naturally bear the names
of members of the royal family. So we have a Victoria, Prince
Consort, Albert, Edward and Alexandra pump. More recently, this place served
as the setting for the film Sherlock Holmes. While Sherlock Holmes is only a
fictional character imagined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a murderer is making headlines in
Victorian England. It was in the middle of the night,
in these alleys of Whitechapel, a dark district of East London, that
five prostitutes were murdered with unprecedented cruelty. Historian Eric Simon takes us on
the trail of this unsolved affair. It was here that the body of Jack the Ripper’s first victim was
found on the night of August 30, 1888. Her name is Pauline Nicole Red Poly. Not because she’s a communist, but
simply because she’s a redhead. It was a police officer who
found her around 2 a.m. He thinks it’s someone who is
completely drunk and asleep. This is the case in these
alleys of Whitechapel. But actually,
when he tries to wake her up, he jostles her a little and he sees
a pool of blood flowing out. Yet this first murder
goes almost unnoticed. Crime is
rife in the East End. The neighborhood is plunged
into great poverty. Here live the people left behind
by the glorious industrial revolution. It’s a total drama. Eight of us live in a room. We don’t even have a bed. We sleep on the corner of a table
in flophouses. You can’t afford
a bed for four pence. We have the right to the rope. Do you know what it’s like to
sleep on a rope? So sleep on the rope. We stand on a rope and in the morning,
at 5 a.m., the owner of this squalid hotel pulls the rope. You fall to the ground, you wake up. So, people are at the mercy
of disease, poverty and so on. What fascinates us is that this Jacques
will act in this Iceland, the mysterious Iceland,
the Iceland where no one would dare to come for a walk on a Saturday or a Sunday. Here Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. As the weeks go by,
new victims are discovered. The horror of the crimes is becoming
more and more unbearable. We now know that we are dealing
with a serial killer, initially nicknamed the Butcher of Whitechapel. Public opinion
is seizing on this story. What does Queen Victoria
think about all this? Well, first, she’s interested in Jack
because he attacks the poor people of Iceland. She’s going to tell the Minister of the Interior.
You absolutely must arrest her, I order you. This is my order. You have to stop me.
That thug! Significant resources are deployed,
but no leads lead the police to this mysterious Jack. Without limit. The killer even goes so far as to provoke
the authorities by speaking directly to the press. Eric takes us to the
city’s National Archives. An exceptional document is kept here
which will give a new twist to the case. This is a letter in red ink. It’s that of a man who
claims to be Jack the Ripper. It’s a very beautiful letter,
very beautifully written and full of humor since he basically says to her: Do
n’t worry, I don’t know a policeman
smart enough to be able to arrest me. In any case, I send you
my best regards. Your friend Jack the Ripper. And it is he who calls himself
Jack the Ripper. It wasn’t journalists at all,
it wasn’t the press who invented this name, it was he himself who signed Jack the Ripper. I feel like I’m standing
in front of Jack. And I believe that this letter was really
written by this mentally ill, criminal genius who called himself Jack the Ripper. It was decided to publish this letter
in the hope that someone would recognize the suspect’s handwriting. Without success. From then on, the press will give a
resounding impact to this affair. The Victorian press would
change enormously from the Jack the Ripper affair.
The prints are going to be extraordinary. People don’t read, but people
know how to look at a newspaper page. The page speaks to them. From then on,
what is called The Ghetto Press in England, the gutter press,
but then it will develop at an extraordinary speed. The presses are turning
and everything is really selling. As soon as you talk about Jack the Ripper,
you’re sure to get a sale. The fear is at its peak when
the body of Mary Jane Kelly is discovered in this building. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. She will be the fifth and last
victim to be savagely massacred. The murders will suddenly stop. The identity of Jack
the Ripper will never be known, but one thing is certain: his crimes
brought attention to the area. Queen Victoria will demand
complete changes in Islam. We’ll forget about clay. We’re going to lay paving stones and
light the streets. The streets were not lit. Charities will
go down in ashes. Queen Victoria says: “There,
you absolutely have to go to the stands, help others.” It’s your
English and Christian homework. So what? What’s also very interesting
is that you have a priest from Whitechapel Church
called Reverend Barnett, and he’s going to give a quite
extraordinary sermon which basically says Jack, we thank you. Thanks to you, poverty will
gradually disappear from the East End of London. Now we know that we exist. So. For what ? London, despite its rapid expansion,
is also a green city. Nearly a third of the British capital
is covered by parks, parks that give the city its charm. The English sovereigns will
gradually open their ancient hunting reserve to the public. They offer their subjects
places of relaxation. Right in the heart of Hyde Park lies
a unique place: Speakers Corner. In the Book of revelation Jesus. In Victorian times,
Hyde Park was a preferred place for demonstrations to avoid unrest;
protesters were given the right to express themselves there. Since 1872. Every Sunday, speakers come
here to freely express their thoughts. Today, religious themes
are the most commonly discussed. It’s right to be there for you. I have all the reasons to be
safe from the outside something like that there’s a dispute. There’s a controversy
Let’s not believe in it. Democracy is so much more successful
than any other systems in the world. And God of the sun can God save the sun Jesus Jesus is magic
, especially how did you memorize if he. Is one of God and he’s also one God. I told you that I want to
think of them separately. On the other bank of the Thames,
Kew Gardens. This park was the great
pride of Queen Victoria. Inside her greenhouses,
she brings in the rarest and most
beautiful plant specimens from all over the world. They need to be fed have you fed them get
it so they’re not. David.
Cooke. Is one of the head gardeners at Kew. He was in charge of this incredible
botanical collection which was to cause a sensation in the Victorian era. Kew Gardens collectors
cross the borders of the kingdom. Botanists traveled to
faraway places like Southeast Asia, China, and South America to bring back
these incredible plants: orchids, begonias, and carnivorous plants. For the first time,
the paintings materialize here. It was a revolution for the locals,
because these people had a pretty boring life. There wasn’t much to see. So discovering these bright colors and
green plants was fantastic for them. Fantastic ! Victoria will also support
botanical research. Many discoveries are made,
such as this immense water lily found in the Amazon. This greenhouse, the Waterlily House, was
specially designed to grow this incredible plant, which dates back
to the Victorian era. Victoria Cruz Diana. It was named after
Queen Victoria from a tiny seed from South America. The water lily reaches this
incredible span of two meters. I don’t think I could climb
on it, but a baby could sit on it without it leaking. Victoria. Architects of Queen
Victoria’s time were inspired by the structure of these water lilies to build
the large glass and iron greenhouses. They reproduced the base of the leaf. While Victoria allowed her subjects
to discover these royal parks, she herself took refuge with her
family far from the capital. We are now heading
to the south coast of England. the Isle of Wight. It was on this island that Victoria and Albert
took up their summer quarters in 1845. The couple had
the Osborne residence built there. Albert was then deeply affected by
the grand tour he had made in Italy. He decided to design this villa
in an Italian Renaissance style. Michael Hunter is
the Osborne curator. The view that we have. This sea view
is very spectacular. I think this is an excellent example
of Prince Albert’s talent as a landscape painter. He was a great gardener. He loved plants. He did not hesitate to put his hands
in the soil to plant trees and flowers. From time to time, the queen and her
children even joined him. It seems that from the top of the tower.
THE. Prince sometimes gave instructions
to his gardeners on how to position his trees. He used semaphore, this
communication system with flags. There were employees in the gardens
and the prince, thanks to these flags, directed them a little more to the right,
a little more to the left. And you see, that’s how
the landscape took shape. Came to life. The decoration is made by the couple
themselves and immortalizes their shared taste for art. It is also a framework more
suited to their family life. Once a Queen Victoria. When Victoria was crowned,
she had a multitude of properties at her disposal Buckingham, Windsor. But none of these residences were
private family homes. They were sumptuous, immense,
but had no nursery. For example, Victoria and Prince Albert
had many children very quickly. This is why a family home
was very important to them. After three years of marriage,
they already had two children and a third was on the way. They really needed
a more intimate home. Family Homes of course.
Queen Victoria. The Queen could not really
escape her duties as sovereign. However, one. She can say that she felt like herself
when she was in the family cocoon. She loved to paint and
spend time outside getting some fresh air. She also loved swimming at the beach. One of the activities she
particularly enjoyed at Osborne that she couldn’t do anywhere else. You couldn’t do elsewhere for instance. Victoria and Albert were to be
the happy parents of nine children. During their summer stay in Osborne. The children receive a
simple education, far from royal protocol. The couple will convey to the
British people an image of marital bliss. They are a
happy and loving family. But this idyllic life
ends prematurely. Everything is getting out of control. Prince Albert suffered from
poor health throughout his life. But the year 1861 was
particularly terrible for him. His eldest son, Bertie, the Prince
of Wales, had behaved very badly. He had an affair with an actress. Of course, this was a great
shock to Prince Albert. This was
unacceptable behavior in his eyes. It was from this point on that Albert’s health
deteriorated significantly. He was already at his weakest,
both physically and mentally, when he contracted typhoid. In December of that same year. The End of the Year. He won’t survive it. Only 42 years old,
Albert died on December 14, 1611, at Windsor Castle. Victoria is devastated. She immediately takes refuge
in Osborn’s intimacy. In their room, she creates a true
sanctuary to Albert’s memory. One of her maids compares
the atmosphere of the palace to Pompeii. She felt as if life had
completely stopped in the house. The Queen The
Queen hides here for three months. I think she suffered
some kind of nervous breakdown. Life would never be the
same for her after 1861. Victoria would never take off
her black clothes again. Overwhelmed by grief, she isolates herself. She no longer has the courage to face
public appearances. Without Albert, the duty of queen
becomes insurmountable and his repeated absence puts the monarchy in danger. Domestic politics are deteriorating. The Republican movement is
gaining momentum. After a decade,
Victoria recovered and returned to the forefront. To establish his power. The government gives him a title
that will forever change his image. In 1876, Parliament proclaimed her
Empress of India. She was 56 years old at the time. Victoria is at the head of a
colonial empire so vast that the sun never sets on it. She will never have the opportunity
to go to India. She then decides to bring them
to her, here, to Osborne. She had this sumptuous
and large Indian reception room built , the Durbar Room. Victoria will surround herself with
many Indian servants. This exoticism pleases the Empress. One of them, Abdul Karim,
will take on unexpected importance. He was only 24 years old at the time. Abdou Karim was really at the table. Abdoul Karim was first a servant. The Queen very much. But over the years, the queen
promoted him within the royal court. He was now her Indian secretary
with privileged access to the Queen. The Queen he was the one. He took care of her
official papers daily and brought them to her room. He had become very important. Victoria is seduced by this young Indian. She even allows him to participate
in a big family entertainment. This book is very interesting. He shows us that there was a real
tradition at Osborne, called tableaux vivants. They took their places here,
in the downstairs room. Every Christmas, a painting. These paintings were living images,
but without sound or dialogue. They took their places on stage. The curtain rose and the members
of the royal family and court were in costume. They represented well-
known scenes from poetry. Or.
Historical scenes. From history. It is normal for
family members to take the lead roles. As for the figuration, it is
relegated to the members of the court. Abdoul Karim is no exception to the rule. Abdoul Karim in this particular. In this painting called Empire Abdul,
Karim occupies a rather background position,
whereas later in this one Egypt we can see that he
becomes more important. He is the one posing as the pharaoh of Egypt,
instead of a member of the royal family. So I guess the fact that he holds
this prominent position on a throne. Prove. The favors that
the queen could grant him. The Queen showed towards him. These favors shocked the court, which saw
Abdoulkarim as a usurper. Upon the Queen’s death,
he was sent back to India and ended his days in Agra, in the property
that Victoria had given him. This British empire made London
the multicultural capital it is today. Of the 8 million inhabitants,
nearly 500 zero zero zero come from the former Indies. It is one of the
largest communities in the metropolis. These traditions have a
considerable influence on British culture, starting with cuisine. Who dominates all the authority of the world. The power of hypnosis is
a young cook. Her family moved
to London in the 1970s. Today,
Divna is a proud ambassador for what in England are known as curries, which are
dishes simmered with Indian spices. People living.
The English love it. So much so that we say: Today,
instead of eating fish and chips on Friday night, we’re going to eat a curry. Curry. It is an honour for us, and especially
for me, having been born and raised in England, to see that
Indian cuisine holds such an important place in British culture today. Deepnight takes us to his restaurant. The problem with Get Happy with the
Five Minute. Okay, boss.
Thank you! For several centuries already. The English are crazy about
Indian cuisine and more recently the famous chicken tikka masala, a dish that is
almost typically Indian. People have a misconception When you
ask them where chicken tikka masala comes from , they will tell you it comes
from India, but actually it doesn’t. It is an English invention. This recipe does not come
from Bombay or Calcutta. It was born in the United Kingdom. Legend has it that when a customer
complained about the lack of sauce in his chicken dish, the cook
added what was left in his cupboards. Tikka masala was born. This dish has quickly become
a staple in every Indian restaurant around the world. If you had gone to India
thirty years ago and ordered chicken tikka
masala, the waiters would n’t have understood; it didn’t exist. But now this dish has been
imported from the UK to India. The trend is reversed today. When you go to
a restaurant in India. And that. You ask for chicken
tikka masala, we’ll give it to you. Serves. Chicken tikka masala. Now we head to Windsor Park,
home to one of the most prestigious polo clubs in the world,
the Quartz Polo Club. This sport is also an Indian heritage. Castle is inside the third came in
the pool gets through who’s gonna stop it and Rodney Williams gets
the night back and back. During the Victorian era,
British soldiers stationed in the Himalayas took up this sport. To the. Fashion. So much and you have to
work for your support. During breaks, it is traditional for
spectators to invade the pitch. On the pain area.
Please leave your glass behind. Nesha and Pritam are originally from India. She works in fashion. He is a dentist. They both live in London. We trample the ground. To remove the
hoof marks so that play can resume. It’s fun, it allows us to go out
onto the field, walk on the lawn and restore the turf. We feel like we’re part of the game. We’re helping the players, we’re doing
something useful for the game. In hand. Inside that the heat is there is to the
center for black is coming through from the black and Charlie Flake coming to get to hold
of it in from him in black and white carving. It was very hot. At the end of the match, everyone
meets at the Clubhouse. Attending a polo match on Sunday
is a chance to feel a little royal.
Has always been. Polo has always been a sport
of high society and royalty,
and that’s what makes you feel special when you come here. It’s fun. The most important thing is to have fun,
drink tea, meet nice people and watch a good game. It’s a mixture of all these elements. In 1897, the Queen had been on the throne for
60 years, a record in the history of the kingdom. Victoria’s reign is at its height. She consolidated the monarchy and
now embodies the power and glory of the British Empire. It is she who we
see in this carriage. For the first time,
a Diamond Jubilee is being celebrated on the streets of London. The people are jubilant. A regiment of a
thousand men and hundreds of horsemen from all the colonies paraded beside her. An empire that encompasses nearly 350 million
human beings and is the first industrial power in history. Queen Victoria died in 1901
after reigning for nearly 64 years. She left behind a long
line of monarchs who would in turn reign throughout Europe,
earning her the nickname of Grandmother of Europe. So now we will follow
in the footsteps of another great sovereign, the great Catherine. Catherine II of Russia. She reigned in the previous century
and as luck would have it, her grandson, Tsar Alexander I, was
none other than Queen Victoria’s godfather , so our destination is now
St. Petersburg, where the great Catherine awaits us. St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia,
for over 200 years. This is where much of
the country’s history was written in 1703. Tsar Peter the Great founded this
new city to allow Russia to open a window on Europe. Today, St. Petersburg is
the second largest city in the country with some 250 museums and 4,000 monuments. It still bears the
majestic imprint of the Tsars and Tsarinas. A sovereign will make this
city what it is today. She is a little princess
of German origin. And this little German princess,
well, she is Catherine II, whose statue stands
in the heart of St. Petersburg. It was erected by his
great-grandson, Tsar Alexander II, who wanted to pay homage to the woman
whom history would nickname the great Catherine. Catherine II is fine,
she sits in majesty. At her feet she has nine figures
who are the most emblematic, the most important figures of her
time, and among them two men, Orloff and Potemkin, who were two of her lovers. But I will come back
to this romantic episode. So, this statue? Well, she is here to tell
the people of St. Petersburg how extremely important Catherine II’s role was
for this country, throughout her 34-year reign. And yet, nothing suggested
that this little German princess would have an extraordinary destiny. A destiny that I will tell you. Catherine II was born in 1729 in northern
Germany, into a princely family. She then called herself Sophie. Lacking affection,
she takes refuge in reading and quickly reveals herself to be more mature
than young girls her age. But a letter will change his destiny. Elizabeth I,
then Empress of Russia, wanted to marry her to her nephew,
the future Tsar Peter III. He is part of the Romanov dynasty. Barely fifteen years old. She arrives at the imperial court of Russia. She converted with great fanfare
to the Orthodox religion and officially took the first name Catherine. The wedding of Peter and Catherine was
celebrated here in St. Petersburg in 1745. But immediately, the disagreement
between the couple was evident. So much so that it was Elizabeth I
herself who advised Catherine II to take a lover and her first lover. She will have many more, her
name is Sergei Saltykov. And some time later, Catherine II
gave birth to a son. Many will think that he is the fruit
of this liaison after the death of Elizabeth I. Well, naturally,
it was Peter III who ascended the throne and his relationship with his wife
Catherine became execrable. And it was at the Peterhof Summer Palace,
in June 1762, that Catherine Peterhof’s destiny would change for the second
time. Where am I taking you? Peterhof Palace is located 30
kilometers from St. Petersburg. It borders the Gulf of Finland. Peterhof is considered one of
the Seven Wonders of Russia. It is the manifesto of
Peter the Great’s delusions of grandeur. The Tsar wants to eclipse all the other
royal palaces in Europe, starting with Versailles. The Grande Cascade is inspired by the one
built for Louis XIV at the Château de Marly. This is where the fate
of Catherine II was decided. For several years,
Catherine suffered many humiliations from
her husband Peter III. After sixteen years of marriage,
he wants to put her in a convent and install his mistress in her place. She risks repudiation. Added to this are
her husband’s many political blunders, Catherine II decides to react. Helped by the Orloff brothers. She overthrows the tsar. On the night of June 27, 1762, she left the Montplaisir Pavilion,
located in Peterhof Park, to go to Saint Petersburg. She rallied
the regiments of the Imperial Guard to her cause. Cheered by the crowd. Catherine has her husband imprisoned. The deposed Emperor was assassinated
a few days later. Catherine II was proclaimed
Empress on September 22, 1762. She was crowned in the
Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. The man who brought
Catherine to the throne. This is Grigori, one of the Orlov brothers,
a young 25-year-old soldier. His first great love. The Tsarina showers him with gifts. She had him build a
grandiose palace in the heart of Saint Petersburg. It is the only 18th century building
to be entirely clad in marble of different colors. Elena Kochetkova opens
the doors to the large marble salon. On the ceiling, the marriage of Cupid
and Psyche pays homage to their love story. Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
. Catherine. Catherine II wanted this palace,
which she had built especially for her favourite,
to be equal to that of a tsar. Catherine was generous to her lover,
but he was also generous to her. Everyone knows that he gave her
a magnificent diamond which is on the imperial scepter. It is also called
Orlov diamonds. He is very big. Truly magnificent. It became one of the symbols
of the Russian Empire. Imperial Francisca. This palace cost 1,600,000 rubles, a
colossal sum at the time. Orlov becomes indispensable at court. He thwarts plots and faces
crisis situations with courage. Because some events could have had
tragic consequences, such as the plague in Moscow. And you, Graziella Bonhomme? The situation was explosive and we know
that a revolt could be very serious. Orloff did everything he
could to bring the crisis under control. He was able to stop the epidemic
and prevent any revolt. We can speak of a real
political feat. Catherine II will live with him
more than ten years of happiness. But, tired of his infidelities,
she repudiates Orloff. The Marble Palace will now house
other lovers of the Tsarina. But the legitimacy of Catherine II
is the subject of strong criticism. Not a drop of Russian blood
flows in his veins. Worse still, the circumstances of
her husband’s death remain unclear. To win back her people,
the Empress is ready to do anything. She will use art
as a propaganda tool. She is depicted triumphant
at the time of her accession to power. This painting is now in
the Throne Room of Peterhof Palace. Emmanuel Ducamp is an
art historian and specialist in Russia. In the painting, the Empress,
the new Empress, is wearing the uniform of a colonel in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. As there were no
women’s uniforms, officers of the regiment lent her
men’s clothes, and she mounted a horse like a man. Probably also because it was
the best way to gain the soldiers’ consent. She was someone who quickly grasped
the power of images and she would use it throughout her reign. She will be represented
many times. First, indeed,
as a victorious empress. Then, like a
legislating empress. Someone who thinks about the well-being of his
subjects, who therefore demonstrates a level of civilization as high as that of
other European sovereigns. And when she was crowned
in the Cathedral of the Assumption, the English ambassador,
Lord Buckingham, said that she gave off an impression of power,
strength and will. And that, I think, is what
emerges from this table. Someone who is absolutely not afraid
to sit on a throne and who is not afraid to lead Russia
to a glorious destiny. Catherine II goes further. She wants to expand her territory and
starts a war against the Ottomans. The Russian fleet then set out on
a long journey to Turkey. The Turks took refuge in the Bay
of Chezmi on the Aegean Sea. They then thought they were safe from
attack, but the Russians sent ships loaded with explosives. The Ottoman fleet is
completely destroyed. This is the first time that Russia has
won such a resounding naval victory. To celebrate this triumph,
the Empress commissioned a series of twelve paintings from the German painter Hackert. The problem is, he’s
never seen any ships burn. No matter,
the Empress arranged for a ship from the Russian fleet to be sent to Livorno, Italy,
to be closer to the painter. And in the port of Livorno,
we simply put this boat, I was going to say, on the sacrificial table. It is made to explode and burn
so that the painter has before his eyes a real burning ship
in reality and can transcribe it onto the canvas. A ship, at that time,
cost a lot of money. We remember the anecdote according to
which Marie-Antoinette refused to buy the diamond necklace because she
preferred France to have an extra warship. In Russia it is the same. But the Empress is rich enough
to afford such small trifles. There is another room in
Peterhof Palace that I would like to show you. It was Catherine II who had it fitted out. This is the Cabinet of Fashions and
Graces, also called the Portrait Room. This cabinet of fashions and graces. It is particularly interesting because it
perfectly illustrates the interest that Catherine II had in the world of the arts. In fact, two years before ascending
the throne, Catherine II had acquired a collection of portraits by an
Italian painter, Pietro Rotari, and when she came to power,
she asked a French architect, Jean-Baptiste Vallin de Lamotte,
to decorate this room. And together, they came up with the idea
of ​​reusing the paintings they had seen two years earlier and covering this room with them. It was very fashionable at the time. 368 paintings. Most of them represent young girls. During his reign. Catherine II will visit
Peterhof Palace on June 28 and 29 each year to celebrate the anniversary
of her seizure of power. His real summer residence is this
castle, Tsarskoye Selo Castle. It is located 20 kilometers
south of St. Petersburg. Its azure blue facade, adorned with
white columns, extends over 300 meters. To impose her style,
the Empress called upon the Scottish architect Charles Cameron. It was then very fashionable in England. One of his most elegant creations,
this astonishing marble gallery. At that time,
the ruins of ancient Rome were being rediscovered. This gallery is like a gallery
of the inspirers of Catherine II. There we find a kind of pantheon in the middle of which she will choose extraordinary figures who will inspire
her actions in the 18th century. Hannibal, here, is known for his
heroic deeds having crossed the Alps. We also find Caesar. We find Cicero, Seneca,
and presumably they think about their writings and they desire,
I imagine also to be seen as an empress who can be in the future. Will also be included in such a gallery
of admirable characters hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The story goes that Catherine II
gets up early in the morning. She prepares her coffee alone,
while her servants are still asleep. She takes the Camerone gallery
to reach the morning pavilion where she writes her letters. The Tsarskoye Selo Palace became
the Empress’s favorite playground. She invited Charles Cameron to redesign
the interiors with the most precious materials. One room perfectly illustrates
the refinement of this palace. This is Amber’s living room. This room is undoubtedly the most
spectacular in this palace. It is
made entirely of amber panels. Amber is a natural resin which,
with the light, takes on more or less ochre honey reflections
and which, when combined with all these gildings, gives
very impressive results. This set is a gift,
a diplomatic gift from the King of Prussia, Frederick I, to Peter the Great. We can also see here the Prussian eagle
which marks the origin of this gift. It was Empress Elizabeth,
the daughter of Peter the Great, who had these amber panels installed in this palace
, and she added her own touch by adding a series
of antiques made of hard stone in Florence. A little later,
it was Catherine II who adored this room and who, in turn,
put her mark on it by adding a few elements like this
corner console for example. During World War II,
this palace was occupied by the Germans. They took the opportunity to dismantle this
ensemble and reinstall it in the former castle of the Prussian kings in Konigsberg,
at the end of the war in 45. The ensemble is missing and it was
at the end of the 70s that it was entirely reconstituted
identically here, in this palace. The work lasted 25 years
and required six tons of amber. A refinement that is also found
in the way of life at court. The Palace’s magnificent ballroom reflects
the splendor of Catherine II’s reign. To dazzle her guests,
she imported Sèvres porcelain services, Lyon silks
and so-called flying tables. Isabeau is the curator of the castle. If you wanted to order dessert,
you took this chalk and marked dessert on the plate. All the dishes were already ready. The choice was quite varied. Then, you just had to pull
the little rope through this end. The bell rang downstairs. The plate would go down and then come back up
with the order. And you just have to. Life at court. It’s a big show
where everyone is performing. You have to be careful about
what you say at all times. Everything is known. You’ve never been. It is likely that the Empress and her
entourage needed to meet in a small group to discuss things in peace. We must forget the idea. Here. The five tables were equipped with this
mechanism and thus the room was transformed into a dance hall. At the time, the guests
were really amazed. Catherine II not only managed
to establish herself as a great empress and make herself loved by the Russian people,
she also found true love. She is 45 years old and now reigns
with a man at her side. Potemkin. She noticed this young soldier
as soon as he came to power. Vladimir Fedorovsky rediscovered
the Empress’s private correspondence. Potemkin’s first meeting is unforgettable. When did it happen? At the time of the coup d’état. She has already won and it was
a great moment of joy. She is applauded. She passes between the rows of the
Imperial Guard and at one point she stops. She turns around and says Who?
Is it? He is a Lieutenant Potemkin.
We answer him. He takes a few steps.
He turns around again. He said he’s too handsome
to be a lieutenant. Let him be named captain. Having ended her affair with
Orloff, it was Catherine who made the first move. She summons Potemkin
to the apartments of her winter palace, the Hermitage,
in the heart of St. Petersburg. I would like to tell you
an anecdote about Potemkin. It is recounted in the Journal
of Ceremonies of the Winter Palace. The action takes place here, in this
grand white marble staircase. It is February 4, 1774. In the evening, Potemkin meets Orlov. This one has just left Catherine II.
Potemkin. He has an appointment with her
in her private apartments. And quite naturally, ask
Orlov what’s new at the palace? He responds, a bit philosophically.
Nothing. I’m going down.
You go up. And so begins Potemkin’s rise
to the great Catherine. Musician, poet,
great art lover Potemkin seduced the Empress with his charisma
and imposing physique. He sees each other at all hours of the day
and night and they maintain a secret correspondence. We are lucky to be able to follow
the evolution of their love through little notes. It is an absolutely astonishing message of
modern language, a sort of SMS written in
very careful language, often in French. And that’s the amazing evolution of their love
because at the beginning, it’s love at first sight, an absolute physical passion. In a letter,
she says: True love stories are always after 40. There was the
absolute love story at 44. Everything I have read,
especially his secret letters from the great Catherine, proves that it was
simply a discovery of sensual love. She’s never had
a big hit like this. If we allowed the word like Potemkin.
She was. She was absolutely dazzled by
Potemkin’s sensual performances. Potemkin becomes one of the
most powerful figures in the state. He distinguished himself through a brilliant
military career. Under his command, Russia
significantly expanded its borders. Catherine II multiplied
the marks of favor towards him. She pays off his gambling debts
and names him Prince of the Empire. Potemkin moved into the
Winter Palace of the Hermitage. The Empress had
apartments specially fitted out for him. Today, the hermitage
includes several buildings. Among them, the new hermitage. Its entrance is
recognizable among all. Its portico is decorated with ten
impressive statues. The Atlanteans. Catherine II entrusted part
of the palace’s design to the Italian architect Giacomo Guarini, notably
one of his rooms, Les Loges de Raphaël. These boxes are in fact a copy of the decor
painted by Raphael in the boxes of the Vatican. With one exception,
the papal coat of arms was replaced by the Romanov emblem. A former curator of the Hermitage
used to say that since the Empress could not go to Italy, well,
Italy came to her. Catherine II was
particularly fond of this place. She loved to walk there. By the end of the day,
she had made the Hermitage a meeting place, a place for conversation,
for entertainment. Today, it has become
the great museum that we know. During her reign, Catherine II collected
3 million masterpieces here. To achieve this
impressive figure, the Tsarina innovated. She acquires
entire collections of works of art. For her first acquisition,
she bought 300 paintings from The Young Man with Gloves by the
Dutch painter Franz Hals. Guillaume Nicloux is French. He researches the
collections of Catherine II. Catherine II buys
entire collections. In 1764, she
arrived at a winter palace that needed to be fitted out and decorated. So she needs paintings
to decorate her apartments. Especially since in Russia, at the time,
paintings were often hung edge to edge in a sort
of wall tapestry. But of course, sometimes there were
works missing in the right size. Luckily, we had the curator
of the place who was a painter and we asked this artist
to paint a canvas of his composition, a bird or a hen. So there were some good paintings
like Frontale and some paintings that are on the edge. We could call them scabs. So. These paintings mark the beginning of a
long series of spectacular acquisitions. It was through the
French philosopher Diderot that the Empress carried out her finest operation. 400 paintings belonging
to the financier Pierre Crozat. The collection is extraordinary. There are paintings by Rembrandt there. Veronese. Or Raphael. By acquiring the Curiosa collection,
she finally succeeded in giving her hermitage an imperial collection worthy of the name. She demonstrates to all of Europe
that from now on, at the head of Russia, there is a civilized empress
and that Russia is from now on also a civilized country with which it must be
reckoned, even on the artistic level. Catherine II is on the lookout for
the latest developments. She reads the art magazines
recommended by Diderot and consults the reviews of the Salon du Louvre. To compete with the court of Versailles,
the Empress supported the French avant-garde painters,
Hubert Robert and Jean-Baptiste Greuze with his famous painting, The Paralytic. She shows that she likes the
innovative painting that Greuze offers. She therefore supports what was
new in painting in Paris at that time. And then she makes a political move,
because if Versailles doesn’t want it, at least she can buy it. And above all, she has the means to buy
a painting that Greuze wanted to sell for a very high price. By the end of his reign,
the Hermitage had nearly 4,000 paintings, including Rembrandt’s Return of the
Prodigal Son. Catherine II was also interested
in French literature. She is a friend of the Enlightenment. When Diderot encountered
financial problems, she bought his library and paid him a pension. She also bought
Voltaire’s entire library after the philosopher’s death. A collection of 7,000 works
annotated by the writer’s hand. These books are kept
in the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. Nikolai Copanef directs
the Ludothèque Voltaire library. This is
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s social contract. Noteworthy by Voltaire who was very
critical of Rousseau’s revolutionary, socialist or communist ideas. Well, you have to write Voltaire. The kings of England
are only kings of the English. Obscure and false. You are not a surveyor
and that is exceptional. Source Exceptional resources for the study
of 18th-century philosophical thought. When he didn’t have a pen,
he would take a piece of paper and stick it with saliva where he
or she made a marginal note. And so, like that. Even pieces
of Voltaire’s saliva are preserved here. The complete genetic test can be done
here based on Voltaire’s library. Catherine II had
Voltaire’s library installed at the Hermitage in her apartments. She used Voltaire’s books
every day, consulted
Voltaire’s marginal notes, used them and through this she was informed of all
the novelties of European culture. Catherine also acquired this library
because she wanted to recover the secret letters she
sent to Voltaire every week. The writer became
his political advisor. He advised Catherine II,
for example, to free the peasants. This was the idea of ​​all
French philosophers to boost the Russian economy. He largely supported Catherine II’s idea of ​​going to
war against Turkey. So we can talk about Voltaire as a
true ideological, political and cultural intermediary between Russia
and France at that time. Voltaire sees Catherine II as
an enlightened monarch. He also calls her
the greatest man of the century. Depending on the game. Narrative and of. Stronger I fall in love. To raise Russia to the rank
of great European nations. Catherine II wanted to have her
own pool of Russian artists. In St. Petersburg. There is a place that expresses
this will of the Empress. the Academy of Fine Arts,
opened in 1764. This building, designed by the
French architect Vallin de Lamotte, is organized around a vast circular courtyard. It is the size of the Pantheon in Rome. For me, this characterizes
the excess of 18th- century architecture when people built
without worrying about dimensions. This excess, typical of the era
of Catherine II, was brought about by the French. This is how he saw Russia. Next to the welfare state. Catherine II wanted to create
a national artistic elite. To achieve its goal,
it provides the Academy’s students with copies
of the greatest masterpieces. Tamils. Thanks to these plaster casts brought back
from Italy, the students learned the proportions of the body. This was the basis of their work. And then after, they learned
to draw the body in movement. Thanks to this, they understood
art in general better. Catherine II introduced
courses in drawing and anatomy at the Academy. For the first time in Russia,
models posed nude in front of students. The Tsarina also encouraged
students to visit the greatest capitals of Europe, the so-
called Grand Tour. Grand Tour The Grand Tour was
a very popular adventure in Europe at the time. It was a wonderful idea
from the 18th and 8th centuries. An adventure that also affected Russia. Italy and young people. Crossed Italy, France, Germany. They were discovering classical art. Classic. And
the Academy sent its best students to France or Italy so that they
could admire the monuments in their real, classical environment. The program has hardly changed
since the time of Catherine II. Even today, the Academy
trains students from all over the world. But the Fine Arts
contain another treasure. This unique collection of models. Catherine II’s
desire to build was constant. But before launching new
projects, the Empress demanded that the architects present her not with
plans, but with miniature buildings. Blah blah. Blah blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah. Blah blah. After painting and sculpture,
Catherine II also took an interest in dance. The symbol of ballet in St. Petersburg
is the Marinsky Theatre. During the reign of Catherine II,
the Dance Academy was modernized. Today, it still welcomes the
best dancers from the country and the world. Entire. Yes, I will always be here. Elena is 30 years old. She has just become first soloist, she
only has one step left before becoming a principal dancer. Elena fulfilled her dream of becoming a ballerina
by dancing on the legendary stage of the Marinsky Theatre. This is where the greatest
stars like Nijinsky and Nureyev evolved. The crystal of the chandeliers,
the gilding, the color of the seats. Nothing was chosen
at random in this room. The turquoise color was chosen
because this color is soft. It does not irritate the eyes. At my place, you’ll brush yourself. And Laure because it was
an imperial theater. These colors do not distract
the viewer, he remains focused on what is happening on stage. So the marriage of turquoise
and gold is ideal. When she’s not on tour,
Elena trains here every day. She knows every
nook and cranny of Marinski. In the workshop where
the costumes are stored, hundreds of tutus bear witness to the evolution of dance
since the time of Catherine II. Before, the costumes were very heavy. Everything was different in the dance. No very high jumps,
no fast pirouettes. There is an explanation for this. It was forbidden to show one’s legs. It was even unimaginable to see
the ballerina’s ankle. We could only see a
small piece of shoe. If the fans, despite everything, could
see an ankle, they were in ecstasy. Right next door, a few steps away,
is Marinski Two. The cultural complex is headed by
conductor Valery Gergiev. AAAAAAAA It’s with him that I have an appointment. Maestro, we are here at your home. Thank you for welcoming us to this
magnificent Mariinsky Theatre. The great Catherine II
did a lot for Russia and especially for Saint Petersburg in the field of art. Is there a
historical figure who inspires you? There is more. What interests me about her
is that she can be compared to the Medici. Perhaps there are other parallels. This is just the first example
that came to mind. Catherine II was,
as we say today, one of the greatest investors in
culture in the entire history of mankind. And the result was that after Peter
the Great, it created colossal opportunities for St. Petersburg. Today we can say that this city
is not only a monument to Peter the Great, but also to Catherine II. We often see you in France. We saw you in Aix at the Easter festival. We saw you in Paris
for The Rite of Spring. What is your view of France
and French culture? As for French culture,
here in Russia we feel how intertwined our two cultures are. I feel it because Berlioz
came to this theatre. He came here twice. Debussy spent a lot of time
in St. Petersburg and other famous French people. What do you say to those who say
you are the tsar of music? Two months ago? I think that before 1917,
the tsars did a lot to ensure that there was the Mariinsky Theatre, the Hermitage. Hermitage. Catherine II had
many magnificent palaces built. Peter the Great had
St. Petersburg built. They were tsars, but we were not. At the same time, we live
in the city of the tsars. 34 years of absolute power. Many lovers and favorites. A constant passion
for arts and culture. The little German princess who became
the great Catherine, will have shaped much more than the city of Saint Petersburg. Upon her death, Catherine II left
a considerable mark on her country, so much so that even today, Russians
loudly claim this legacy. So Empress Catherine in Russia,
Queen Victoria in England, these are two women who showed
immense ambition for their nation by trying to bring it
to the highest level in Europe. So, that’s how
this great Tour ends. But the journey continues. It is with the end that everything begins. See you
soon. Come on Fox! Oh yeah! Baby now!
Put on the shoes. Let’s take a break. Come for around. I want to take you out. Yeah! I want to take you out.

Elles n’étaient pas censées régner – et pourtant, elles ont changé le cours de l’Histoire 👸.

Amoureux de la France et du patrimoine, ses trésors n’auront plus de secrets pour vous 👉https://bit.ly/4dnI1h1

Dans cet épisode exceptionnel du Grand Tour, plongez dans les trajectoires croisées de la reine Victoria d’Angleterre et de l’impératrice Catherine II de Russie.
Deux femmes, deux époques, deux empires… mais une même volonté de marquer le monde.

De la chaise du couronnement à Westminster aux intrigues du palais d’Hiver,
du mariage d’amour avec Albert à la passion brûlante pour Potemkine,
du thé raffiné de Buckingham aux salons d’ambre de Saint-Pétersbourg…

🎭 Entre pouvoir, amour et art, découvrez comment Victoria et Catherine ont imposé leur vision, leur style et leur autorité dans des univers d’hommes.

#victoria , #catherinethegreat , #queensofhistory , #empire , #heritage , #history , #powerfulwomen , #buckinghampalace , #winterpalace

LE GRAND TOUR – EP08 : LONDRES, SAINT PETERSBOURG.
© ANAPROD – 2013
Tout droits réservés – AMP
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