The Historical Museum opened the exhibition "Jewels! The Splendor of the Russian Court"

The State Historical Museum has opened a brilliant exhibition "Jewels! The Brilliance of the Russian Court", presenting masterpieces of jewelry, luxurious ball gowns and a gallery of portraits from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum.

Throughout the world, the Russian imperial court was renowned for its incredible sophistication and wealth. The State Hermitage houses one of the world's largest collections of works of art, and the jewelry collection occupies a special place in it. Over the centuries it was created as an imperial collection, and only the best pieces of domestic and foreign masters were included in it. The exhibition will present jewelry of XVII - early XX centuries, as collectibles, accessories and objects - keepers of memory. Jewels invariably attract the attention of visitors by the amazing subtlety of work, elegance of forms, nobility and rarity of precious stones, as well as the opportunity to immerse in the centuries-old history of jewelry, preserved by its brilliant "eyewitnesses".

"Our museums have an amazing ability to create a living image of bygone eras, uniting places, times and generations. The exhibition we are opening today unites the country's two main cultural centers, presenting masterpieces from St. Petersburg's imperial residence in Moscow. Projects of this scale not only emphasize the uniqueness and significance of the national cultural heritage, but also reveal the huge potential of inter-museum cooperation. Each of the exhibits at the exhibition is not just a work of art, but also a witness to historical events, epitomizing the greatness of our culture. Such initiatives are an important step in preserving and popularizing Russia's national identity," said Elena Kharlamova, Director of the Department of Museums and Circus Art Support.

"The Hermitage does many exhibitions, but such exhibitions full of luxury are rare, and they always amaze the audience, especially beyond Russia's borders. Today the Hermitage has teamed up with the GIM to create a manifesto of Russian luxury, memorable to the world. The manifesto is spectacular, but also very academic; it is a carefully calibrated memory of masters, fashion, owners and the performances that united them, among which the crown of all is the ball. This is a sincere and respectful gift to the memory of our ancestors who made Russia great!", said Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director General of the State Hermitage.

"Exhibitions from the Hermitage in Moscow are always a special event. The grandiose success of the exhibition for the 150th anniversary of the Historical Museum inspired us to embark on a new, larger-scale project. The exhibition at the Historical Museum will include more than 250 exhibits showing the glittering life of the Russian Imperial Court. The gleams of precious stones, the glow of ceremonial uniforms and ball gowns, and portraits of their remarkable owners convey to us the majestic image of the mighty empire. Two great museums of Russia have once again joined forces to familiarize visitors with the treasures of national culture," says Alexei Levykin, General Director of the Historical Museum.

The Hermitage's collection of jewels includes numerous artistic monuments made by the best masters of different countries and epochs - part of this priceless collection will be presented in Moscow for the first time as part of a large exhibition project. The exhibition consists of three sections. The first is the "Gallery of Jewels", which will present a variety of jewelry that belonged to representatives of the imperial family: snuff boxes, watches, ornaments and much more. Jewelry has always been an integral part of costume. They changed following the fashion, making new and new demands on the jewelry art. Luxury jewelry and accessories were designed to emphasize the owner's high status, position in society and demanding taste. Trying to please demanding customers, jewelers tirelessly developed their skills, improving techniques of processing precious stones and metals.

After the revolution of 1917, the Hermitage Gallery of Jewels was enriched with treasures from nationalized collections and personal art collections. Many collectors were rightly proud of their personal museums, as the capital's nobility acquired art treasures both in Russia and in the leading art and antique centers of Europe. The exposition presents items from the collections of the Dolgorukovs, Naryshkins, Shuvalovs, Stroganovs, Yusupovs and others.

Luxury and brilliance of the imperial court in full force were manifested during balls and masquerades, when costumes and jewelry were the main component of the holiday. Silk and velvet suits and dresses decorated with sewing, embroidery or lace are presented at the exhibition along with elegant accessories. For example, among the items one can see an ivory fan depicted in the portrait of Princess T.A. Yusupova by F.K. Winterhalter, presented here. Parade portraits of Russian aristocracy from the collections of the State Hermitage and the State Historical Museum are also presented in this section of the exhibition. The complex demonstration of costumes and accessories accompanied by the portraits will give an opportunity to feel the style of the bygone time.

The exhibition concludes with a section featuring memorial items. Many of the items kept in the Hermitage Jewelry Gallery preserve the memory not only of events of national importance, but are also connected with the private lives of Russian monarchs and members of the Romanov dynasty.