An agreement has been signed between the State Hermitage Museum, Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation and the Pompeii Archaeological Office on holding the 'Otium ludens' exhibition of ancient frescoes, and also a sponsorship agreement for the reconstruction of the Bosphorus Rooms

On 15 September 2007 an agreement was signed concerning the organization of a temporary exhibition the 'Otium ludens' and an agreement to provide support for the restoration of the Bosphorus Rooms and reconstruction of the permanent art exhibition of the Northern Black Sea littoral between the State Hermitage Museum, Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation and the Pompeii Archaeological Office.

As part of programme co-operation between the State Hermitage Museum and the Region of Campania a temporary exhibition will be prepared, which will exhibit the interiors of ancient villas with frescoes and other archaeological monuments, found in the ancient Italic city of Stabia.

The exhibition will reveal the refined forms of relaxation of the ancient Romans, showing their masterful artwork which surrounded their everyday life, and especially, ancient paintings which will be displayed in the State Hermitage Museum for the first time.

The exposition will be location in the restored Bosphorus Rooms in the Ancient World section of the New Hermitage. While restoring the Bosphorus Rooms, which will undergo a complete change with the historical decoration being restored in accordance with the plans of Leo von Klenze, whose frescoes were plastered over in the 1970s and painted in a bright red. Klenze's wall frescoes are reminiscent of Pompeian frescoes, and the classical architecture of the hall emphasizes the unity and grandeur of the classical style found in the decorations of Roman villas as well as in the setting of the New Hermitage Building. The exhibition and restored halls will open on 7 December, during the State Hermitage's celebration 'Hermitage Days'. Following the closure of the exhibition, work will begin in reorganizing the Bosphorus Rooms for a permanent art exhibition of ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea littoral. The Bosphorus Rooms with their renowned collection from antiquity will open their doors in June in celebration of the White Nights.

Francesco Bigazzi, Cultural Attaché to the Italian General Consulate in St. Petersburg

Prof. Pietro Giovanni Guzzo, Director of the Pompeii Archaeological Office

Prof. Pietro Giovanni Guzzo, Director of the Pompeii Archaeological Office, and prof. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum, at the ceremony