The Imperial Educational Society of Noble Maidens, or the Smolny Institute, was founded by Catherine the Great as the first state educational institution for women in Russia. An informative article by Alexander Liarsky, drawing on primary sources, presents the history of this pioneering Institute until its dissolution during the Revolution. Central to this volume are over 50 photographs of the Smolny from an extremely rare album that belonged to Kovaleff Baker's ancestor, who attended the Institute. Accompanying commentary by Liarsky calls attention to details of the photographs and brings them to life by excerpts from writings of Smolny students and other contemporaries found in St. Petersburg's archives.