US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin Visit The Hermitage

On 25 May, 2002, US President George Bush with his wife Laura Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin with his wife Lyudmila Putina visited the museum as part of the US-Russian summit. The Hermitage Director Mikhail B. Piotrovsky took the high guests for a tour of the museum.
George Bush lingered by exhibits that appealed to his curiosity asking to be told the story of their creation. The US President was especially attracted by paintings with Biblical subjects in the Italian and Dutch Rooms. Vladimir Putin drew the guest's attention to his favorite Rembrandt's canvas Deposition from the Cross.
After lunch the guests resumed their tour. By Venus with a Mirror from the National Gallery in Washington, discussing links between the museums, George Bush said that he knew of the Hermitage-Guggenheim project and welcomed it. ''I think cooperation between our countries' museums is as important as missile agreements,'' said Mikhail B. Piotrovsky. The Presidents readily agreed.

Izvestiya, 27 May, 2002

During the visit