Back in 1794, a book titled “Illustrations of Provincial, Viceroyal, Collegiate, and All Civil Service Uniforms” was published in St. Petersburg
The 74 pages of this beautiful publication contained detailed descriptions of 42 provincial and viceregal uniforms, as well as the official attire of officials from six government departments and two educational institutions. However, perhaps the most interesting aspect was that, in addition to the text, the album contained 50 vivid and colorful illustrations that perfectly complemented the text.
At present, the only surviving copy of this edition is held at the State Public Historical Library in Moscow.
Well, now let’s finally open the book to page 8 and read the description of the uniform of the Kharkiv Governorate and the coat of arms of our beloved city.
Kharkiv Uniform: a red caftan with light green round cuffs, collar, lining, camisole, and white buttons.
Coat of arms: on a green field, a cornucopia placed crosswise, containing fruits and flowers, and a caduceus or Mercury’s staff.
The Kharkiv Governorate itself (an administrative-territorial unit of the Russian Empire) was established by decree of Empress Catherine II in 1780.
However, it did not last long. Indeed, 16 years later, in 1796, the Kharkiv Governorate was transformed into the Sloboda-Ukrainian Governorate pursuant to a personal decree issued by Emperor Paul I.
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