The name of the talented architect Nikolay Pozdeyev, whose creativity was mostly dedicated to Yaroslavl, went down the history of Russian architecture.
He was born in 1855 into the family of a Petersburg petty bourgeois in the Berezaika Village of the Kaluga Province. His early love for art determined the way of the future architect. After finishing the Moscow School for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture Nikolay Pozdeyev was certified as an architect and engaged in architectural practice in Moscow. The young architect continued his education in the Art Academy, where he showed outstanding talents, actively participated in competitions and was repeatedly awarded. Upon graduation he was the only one given the right for a foreign business trip provided by the Academy.
In November, 1883 the Yaroslavl Town Council announced in newspapers a contest for the town architect post. 23 applications were submitted, but the preference was given to Nikolay Pozdeyev.
Upon arrival to Yaroslavl he took part in reconstruction of the town theater, which had been started before his arrival, reconstructed the Stolby Hotel (23/5, Andropov Street), and some other town buildings. The Spassky Quarters were constructed according to Pozdeyev’s project in less than a year on the site of a ramshackle building of a former grammar school.
In March, 1887 the Yaroslavl Town Council following the report on building the Spassky Quarters extended appreciation to the town architect, “who showed complete mastery, diligence, and attention for the benefit of Yaroslavl, both in this and other town constructions”.
Buildings designed by Nikolay Pozdeyev excel in expressiveness and variety of styles. He reconstructed the ensemble of Sretensky Candlemas (4, Deputatsky Lane) and the Alexander Nevsky Chapel (8, Andropov Street) in the so-called Russian style. The merchant and industrialist Dunayev’s Mansion (38, Oktyabrya Ave) was designed by the architect in the spirit of the Revival style, with rich exterior and interior finishing. Nikolay Pozdeyev’s most well-known creation - Igumnov's House – is the paragon of the Russian style of the late 19the century in Russia.
The architect was a talented, all-round personality especially fond of poetry and theater. He was an active member of the musical drama arts society, headed its drama department, and took part in amateur theatricals. He gratuitously created the building project for the Society and headed its construction (the building has not remained).
It is hardly believable that the fruitful creative biography of the architect unfolded in a very short period of time. Nikolay Pozdeyev held the town architect post for 8 years. In 1891 he contracted tuberculosis and had to retire from service. Untimely death of his wife on August 15, 1893 smashed him and he died two months later, aged 38 years.
The wooden tower mansion built by Nikolay Pozdeyev for his family in Yaroslavl stood in full view of the whole town and was demolished in 2005. The museum of School No. 66 in Yaroslavl is engaged in studying the life and creativity of Nikolay Pozdeyev.
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Nikolay Pozdeyev
