Page 64 - Erasmus_2017_2020

THE SECOND CONSTRUCTION PERIOD FROM 1764 TO
1770

In 1762 Ernst Johann von Biron was granted mercy and returned to Courland in January of
1763.

In January of 1764 Johann Gottfried Seidel was appointed the court architect of the
Duke, but in August Francesco Rastrelli returned to work for the Duke and was appointed to the
position of main administrator of the Duke’s buildings. During this time he arranged his
construction designs and carried out general supervision of the Duke’s construction works.
The unfinished gate tower was torn down and the stable building construction was started.
Latvian carpenters and woodworkers were sent from the Duke’s domain manors to undāle up
until 1768. In 1765 woodworker Blanks, sculptor Zībenbrods, locksmith Šreibfogels, gold
plating master Johans Endress, potter Šēfers, locksmith Horstmanis and coppersmith Mēmels
were working in the palace.

In 1766 Severin Jensen from Denmark started working as the court architect. His style
can be seen in the gateposts and in the stable buildings, which obtained a semicircular shape in
contrast to astrelli’s rectangular design. A dating – 16 May 1766 – has been made in the
keystone of the northern facade window.

Schlussstein des Fensters mit dem Datum an der Fassade
Keystone of the facade window with the dating.
In 1768 the gate was built and the forgings were placed.
The palace interior planning was changed slightly. By merging five smaller rooms the grand
dining-room – the Grand Gallery – was created, whereas a dance hall known as the White Hall
was created in the place of the palace church. Both front staircases, the Small Gallery, the lobby
and galleries of the first floor were preserved from the original interiors of the first construction
period.

The stucco decorative finishing of the interiors was carried out by the Berlin sculptor and
stucco marble master Johann Michael Graff together with his team – his brother Josef and
assistants Bauman and Lanz – from 1765 to 1768. Sculpturesque decorations were made in
twenty-seven rooms, but in two rooms of the Duke’s apartments and in the hall – synthetic
marble panels. Works were started in the central building first. The Marble Hall and the marble
panel of the Gold Hall in which the dating has been engraved on the door lining, were finished
in 1767. In July of 1768 Graff received payment for his final works – the White Hall, Oval
Cabinet, Duchess’ Boudoir and vases for the 22 stair banisters.

The ceilings were painted by the Italian painters Francesco Martini and Carlo Zucchi
from Saint Petersburg. They started working in August of 1766, but only the name of Martini is
mentioned in documents starting with March of 1768. Francesco Martini received his last
payment in March of 1769. Ceilings of eight rooms, as well as the walls of two rooms were
painted. One of the ceiling paintings got destroyed. The repainted wall paintings were later
uncovered in the Grand Gallery and in the second study of the Duke.

The Duke came to undāle Palace in April of 1767 and stayed there until December with
interruptions, although the finishing works were still in progress. The palace was also inhabited
in 1768. The final works were carried out in 1770 when a fellow of J. M. Graff placed mirrors
in the White Hall.