Background
Benois was born in Russia, to Anna Katarina (Groppe), who was of German descent, and a French father, Louis Jules Benois (from Brie, Street-Ouen-sur-Morin).
Benois was born in Russia, to Anna Katarina (Groppe), who was of German descent, and a French father, Louis Jules Benois (from Brie, Street-Ouen-sur-Morin).
He studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1827 to 1836.
Eight years later, he was appointed a court architect to Nicholas I of Russia and oversaw several projects in the town of Peterhof, notably the Principal Imperial Stables (1847-1852). He was quite notable in 19th-century Russia for adhering to the Gothic Revival style of architecture and decoration. Benois designed some of the first railway stations in Russia, notably in Strelna, Tsarskoe Selo and New Peterhof, the last being considered his masterpiece.
Of these, Alexander Benois specialized in stage design, Albert Benois was a painter, and Leon Benois became a distinguished architect.
The actor Peter Ustinov was a great-grandson.