Prince Paul Demidoff of San Donato

Overview

Pavel Pavlovich Demidov (9 October 1839 – 26 January 1885), 2nd Prince of San Donato, heir to the Demidov mining and industrial fortune and one of the richest Russians of his day. He married Princess Maria Meshcherskaya (1867; she died in 1868) and in 1871 Princess Elena (Hélène) Petrovna Trubetskaya. In 1872 he bought the villa and park of Pratolino near Florence, where he died (Wikipedia, «Pavel Pavlovich Demidov, 2nd Prince of San Donato»).

Relevance to Marie

For Marie, Demidoff is the measure of enormous wealth in the Italian society she moves in. In May 1876 she weighs a match with Pietro Antonelli against it: «comment épouser Pietro quand Demidoff de San Donato achète des toiles de trente-cinq mille francs !» (061.0117). In Naples on 6 April 1877, «Marcuard a parlé hier des richesses de Demidoff, ce qui a beaucoup diminué Larderel» (070.0162); the Mon Journal t.10 index gives only «Demidoff (M.), 83, 163», so the identification there is probable, not certain (0.7). At the Florence races in May 1877 the race card lists a «Premio di L. 1000 dato dalla Principessa Elena Demidoff», his wife (071.0226).

References in Diary

• 1876-05-25 (061.0117)
• 1877-04-06 (070.0162, probable)
• 1877-05-10 (071.0226, his wife's race prize)

Not to be confused with the «comtesse Orloff-Demidoff» of 1883 (102/1883-12-06) or the «Mme Demidoff» of 097/1882-11-07, who are other members or connections of the family.