One of the Hermitage's oldest employees, Kryzhanovskaya, died at the age of 95.

Marta Kryzhanovskaya, one of the Hermitage's oldest employees, passed away at the age of 96. This was announced on June 9 on the official website of the cultural institution.

"Marta Yanovna could not imagine her life without the Hermitage. During her many years at the Hermitage, she not only engaged in scientific activities, but also passed on her exceptional experience as a researcher and curator to the younger generation of Hermitage staff. The Hermitage expresses its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Marta Yanovna," the publication says.

Kryzhanovskaya was born in March 1930. During the Great Patriotic War, she lived in besieged Leningrad. She managed to survive the worst time of the blockade. After the war, she graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts. In March 1960, Kryzhanovskaya began working in the Department of Western European Applied Arts (OZEPI).

While working at the Hermitage, Kryzhanovskaya studied the works of the Middle Ages. Under her leadership, a new permanent exhibition dedicated to European applied art of the XI-XV centuries was developed in the cultural institution.

Kryzhanovskaya is also the author of over 100 publications, which also include seminal monographs, catalogs, and articles resulting from her many years of research. As part of her professional career, she has won several awards. So, in 2014, she was awarded the gratitude of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. In 2015, he was awarded the honorary title of "Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation".