Birds: The Messengers of the Gods. Western European Applied Art of the 16th to 19th Centuries
17 April 2013 - 29 September2013
The Blue Bedroom, Winter Place (Room 307)

This exhibition of objects from the Hermitage collections, many of which have never been published before, illustrates how birds associated with gods of Olympus, were used as subjects for the decorative arts in Western Europe. The eagle, peacock, dove, swan, owl and the cockerel were often shown as companions of Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Minerva, Apollo, Mercury and Mars. Birds played different roles in works of art. They could be defining attributes of gods, or even their embodiment (Jupiter). Sometimes they were gods' messengers or just featured as popular decorative motifs that preserved a symbolic meaning. Over the course of the centuries the use of images of the sacred birds altered in accordance with changing perceptions and fashions. In the 17th and 19th centuries there was an interest in a mortal's apotheosis and the eagle could be seen as the messenger of victory and embodiment of strength and power. In the 18th century there was a preference for subjects of love so the images of swans and doves were widely presented. On display are clocks and candelabra, items from table decorations and dinner services, decorative panels, upholstery, wall coverings and jewellery; this list is far from being complete. Anonymous works have been chosen alongside pieces designed by the most celebrated masters. The most famous centres of production are here: porcelain from Meissen and Sevres, enamels from Limoges, silver from Nuremberg and Augsburg, tapestries from the Gobelins Manufactory in Paris, lace from Alencon and Argentan.