The Hermitage Receives Marks of St. Petersburg Tercentenary Sponsors

On 3 November, 2003, the Hermitage and the Russian Heraldic Chamber received the collection of marks of the St. Petersburg tercentenary sponsors. The unique collection was designed and manufactured for the St. Petersburg Tercentenary Foundation.

Symbols have been designed for each category of sponsors. They were designed by Yevgeny Ukhnalev and manufactured by Feodorovsky Zavod in St. Petersburg from three precious metals.

Among the ceremony participants were Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum, Georgy Vilinbakhov, Chairman of the Russian Presidential Heraldry Council and State Heroldmeister, Gulnara Sharazykova, General Director of St. Petersburg Foundation, artist Yevgeny Ukhnalev, Vladimir Arkhipov, Director of Feodorovsky Factory, representatives of the St. Petersburg Administration and sponsors of the tercentenary celebrations.

The mark includes a complicated composition portraying the flying goddess of Victory with a monogram of Peter I in one hand and a laurel branch in the other. In Greek mythology, Nike was the goddess of victory and glory, while the laurel branch symbolized honor and recognition. The shield, framed in ribbons, is the composition's semantic focus. It bears two crossed letters "¿" - the monogram of Peter I, and the figure "300" implying the anniversary. Victory with Peter's shield symbolizes the holder's contribution to the development of St. Petersburg and shows that he or she deserves to be decorated with the branch of laurel.

The main ceremony of giving awards to sponsors of the St. Petersburg Tercentenary took place on 28 May in the manege of the Menshikov Palace in St. Petersburg (13 University Embankment).

The brilliant mark (golden Victory with brilliant inserts) was awarded to the general sponsors of the celebrations. Golden Victory was given to official sponsors, silver, to honorary sponsors, and bronze, to sponsors and trustees. Participants, honorary patrons and sponsors received benefactor's awards.

The St. Petersburg Tercentenary Foundation was created in April 2000 by Governor Vladimir Yakovlev to attract investments, sponsor's aid and donations to finance the programs of preparing the city's jubilee. The Foundation's General Director is Gulnara Saidovna Sharazykova. The Foundation has managed to raise over $16,000,000. The list of sponsors, benefactors and information partners of the St. Petersburg Tercentenary included 170 companies and individuals.

ZAO Feodorovsky Zavod AB designs and manufactures exclusive metal products, including exquisite gifts. The production's catalogue includes medals, plaquettes, marks of various kinds, lapel badges, military insignia, pendants, models of ancient cannons and salute accessories. The company works in cooperation with the Russian Presidential Heraldry Council.

Artist Yevgeny Ilyich Ukhnalev designed the Russian national coat-of-arms, symbols of presidential power, the highest Russian award Order of St. Andrew and the Medal in Commemoration of the St. Petersburg Tercentenary. He took part in over 50 exhibitions. Yevgeny Ukhnalev's paintings and drawings may be found in many collections all over the world. In St. Petersburg, his works have been acquired by the Hermitage and the Museum of Anna Akhmatova.