The interest in Ancient Egypt and its art in Europe greatly increased after Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign at the end of the 18th century. The beginning of scientific Egyptology was laid by the Frenchman J.-F. Champollion, who deciphered hieroglyphic writing. On September 22, 1829, he gave his first report on this. A brief summary of the report was published in Russia two years later by the Decembrist Batenkov. Even earlier, in 1825, the Academy of Sciences acquired in Milan from Count K.O. Castiglione a large collection (900 items) of Egyptian antiquities; this later formed the basis of the corresponding department in the Hermitage.
After the end of the Napoleonic wars, European enthusiasts and seekers of antiquities flocked to Egypt in large numbers. In the markets of Cairo, they began buying all kinds of artifacts found during illicit excavations. Since there was no systematic protection of monuments in Egypt, which belonged to Turkey at the time, it was very easy to export these items. Among such seekers was a Russian subject named Ruadze, who in 1820 accompanied the Georgian prince G.L. Avalov on his journey through Arab countries. He collected samples of the funerary cult of Ancient Egypt not for himself, but for resale to genuine collectors.
Returning to Russia, the young antiquarian published the following announcement in the "St. Petersburg Gazette" on September 30, 1821:
“The Georgian Grigory Ruadze, who traveled through Africa and Asia, has the honor to inform lovers of antiquities that he has brought from Egypt the following rarities:
A coffin, or a case skillfully crafted to the human body, with images of various allegorical emblems and writings, containing a mummy with a preserved body and costume of the deceased of that time, decorated everywhere with hieroglyphs. On the face of this mummy is a mask, above which lies a diadem with various decorations. The length of this mummy is two arshins and 3/4.
Another mummy, without a coffin, measuring 1 arshin 2 vershoks, and two small mummies in coffins, one 3 vershoks, the other 2 vershoks, without any decorations.
A stone urn depicting some mythological deity, containing a embalmed human internal organ.
Two sarcophagi, embalmed calf and cat, which, it is believed, were worshiped and deified in ancient times.
Crane or stork eggs, preserved intact, which according to ancient custom were placed with the deceased at the foot of the coffin.
Various fossilized human bones and pieces of mummies.
All these rarities, preserved to our times and found in the Memphite cemetery, can be considered more than 4,000 years old; therefore, he most humbly asks the esteemed public not to touch these items so that they are not damaged…
Mr. Ruadze hopes that the long and difficult search for these ancient rarities, as well as the dangers to which he repeatedly exposed his life while traveling with them among uneducated, savage, and greedy peoples, and the considerable expenses he spared not, having in mind only one goal – to satisfy the curiosity of all lovers of antiquities – will earn him special and favorable attention from the public…
These rarities can be seen daily at the 1st Admiralty section, 2nd quarter, in the house of jeweler Philipp Klossen, at No. 91 on Nevsky Prospect, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those wishing to see these rarities can obtain tickets at the same house at any time, with an admission fee of 5 rubles per person.”
Ruadze offered the brought items for sale to the Academy of Sciences, but it refused—the items were damaged during transportation. Incidentally, at that time in St. Petersburg, mummies were only held in the Kunstkamera and in the collection of Prince Beloselsky.
Ruadze turned to A.N. Olenin, who was interested in Egyptology, and the director of the Imperial Public Library decided to inspect the mummies to buy them for the library or the Academy of Arts. On November 22, 1821, he and Count M.A. Miloradovich visited Ruadze, but the deal did not take place. As a result, the main mummy ended up in Moscow five years later and was described by N. Khitrovo. Where it disappeared afterward is unknown. It is not in the Hermitage.
Later in the history of St. Petersburg, the elder of the newly built St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Grigory Ivanovich Ruadze, is mentioned in connection with the corner house at 16 Bolshaya Morskaya Street, built by him in 1856 for his wife. The house had a large hall where concerts and literary evenings were regularly held. It can be assumed that this Ruadze, who exhibited Egyptian antiquities in the capital, is the same as the mentioned homeowner. He entered service in 1824 “in the yeoman master’s department,” then was a supervisor in various theaters. In 1851, Ruadze was dismissed and forbidden to hold government positions, probably due to some financial machinations, although the official himself claimed that he amassed his fortune through Eastern trade.
Sources:
Antonov Viktor Vasilievich: Petersburg: Did You Know This? Personalities, Events, Architecture
