Which academy awarded Mendeleev the Demidov Prize for Organic Chemistry?

The Petersburg Academy of Sciences awarded Mendeleev the Demidov Prize for Organic Chemistry.

The prize recognized Mendeleev’s 1861 textbook Organic Chemistry. At the time, the Petersburg Academy of Sciences was the leading scientific institution of the Russian Empire and administered the Demidov Prize, one of the era’s prominent academic awards. The award reflected the book’s value as an original and effective teaching treatment of organic chemistry.

The Demidov Prize was established in the 1830s through the bequest of Pavel Demidov. Its original form was awarded from 1832 to 1866, making Mendeleev’s recognition part of the prize’s historic imperial-era series. The award was not presented by a British, French, or Swedish academy, although Mendeleev later received honors and memberships from institutions across Europe.

A related point of confusion is the institution’s name. “Petersburg Academy of Sciences” refers to the imperial academy based in Saint Petersburg; it is distinct from the Royal Society, the French Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.