The Ghost of the Academy of Arts

At the Academy of Arts (Universitetskaya Embankment, 17), they still tell stories about the ghost of architect Kokorinov. The circumstances of the death of the first director and architect of the building of the Imperial Academy of Arts gave rise to one of the many St. Petersburg legends, known as "The Ghost of the Academy of Arts." It is said that the soul of the suicide, having found no rest in the Higher World, is doomed to wander forever within the walls he once created.

Once, Empress Catherine the Great paid a visit to the Academy of Arts. The construction was not yet completed, and shortly before the sovereign's arrival, one of the walls had been painted. She stained her new dress on it and was very angry. And Kokorinov hanged himself the night after this. This is how the legend explains his suicide.

According to other sources—due to unfounded accusations of embezzlement, he became mentally and physically ill: "he began to lose weight, brood, talk incoherently, and in a fit of melancholy" ended his life by suicide in the attic of the Academy of Arts building (according to the Brockhaus and Efron dictionary version — "hanged himself in the attic of his house").

There is also a legend, which has become part of modern St. Petersburg folklore, that Kokorinov committed suicide out of distress related to a reprimand from Catherine II, when, visiting the newly opened Academy of Arts, she accidentally stained her dress by touching a freshly painted wall.

Life, as always, is much more prosaic.

Alexander Filippovich Kokorinov was born in 1726 in Tobolsk into a family of a government official. At the age of 14, he became an apprentice to architect Ivan Blank, who was in exile in Tobolsk. Returning to Moscow, Blank took Kokorinov with him. In August 1749, Kokorinov was granted the rank of gezel ("journeyman"), which gave him the right to independently develop projects and accept private commissions; his salary was already 250 rubles per year. It is important to note that Kokorinov was one of the few Russian architects of the 18th century who did not study abroad, being fully raised in the traditions of the Moscow architectural school.

Alexander Kokorinov designed many projects for Tobolsk and Moscow, worked on the restoration of the walls and gates of the Moscow Kremlin and Kitay-gorod. In 1754, Alexander Kokorinov went to St. Petersburg for a planned internship abroad. However, the trip did not take place. For some time, the young architect worked at the Peterhof cutting factory and the St. Petersburg porcelain manufactory. Later, Kokorinov assisted Rastrelli and was involved in decorating the interiors of Count Shuvalov's palace.

Working for Shuvalov played a significant role in Alexander Kokorinov's life. Despite his modest origins, Kokorinov became the first Russian teacher at the newly established Academy of Arts founded by the Count. Together with Vallin de la Mothe, Kokorinov developed the project for the Academy of Arts building starting in 1764. Alongside this French architect, Kokorinov became a founder of Russian classicism. On the day the Academy building was laid, Kokorinov was elected professor of architecture; in 1767, he became adjunct rector; and in 1769, rector of the Academy. The architect did not live to see the completion of the Academy of Arts building. In 1771, construction was suspended due to lack of funding. After Count Shuvalov's resignation, Kokorinov was accused of overspending. A year later, Alexander Kokorinov died.

There is a legend that Alexander Kokorinov hanged himself in his office. However, this contradicts the record in the burial register of the Sampsonievsky Church dated March 13, 1772: "Academic artist, Rector Alexander Filippovich Kokorinov, 47 years old, was ill with dropsy for two months, confessed and received communion from the priest Ioann Nikolaev of the Simeon Church." He was buried at the Sampsonievsky Cemetery, so suicide is only a legend.

Sources:

Popov Alexander: Two Petersburgs. A Mystical Guide

https://walkspb.ru/istoriya-peterburga/lich/kokorinov

http://encspb.ru/object/2804007657

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokorinov,_Alexander_Filippovich