A Portrait of the Hermitage: 300 Years of Collections

On 13-15 February, 2003, the Smithsonian Institute (Washington, U.S.) hosted the Hermitage Days. Director Mikhail B. Piotrovsky opened the event with a lecture presenting the history of one of the world’s major museums. He spoke of the early days of collecting works of art in Russia, first collections put together by Peter I and acquisitions of his successors on the Russian throne. Special note was paid to purchases of Catherine II, the founder of the Hermitage. The tradition of collecting initiated by this Empress became the country’s policy in the 19th century. By the reign of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II, the Hermitage had become one of Europe’s best museums. The Hermitage Director dwelt on Unknown Masterpieces exhibitions held at the museum which showed to the public works of arts taken to the Soviet Union from Germany in the wake of the 2nd World War. Mikhail B. Piotrovsky also told about the Big Hermitage Project which will turn historical buildings around Palace Square into venues for exhibitions, leisure and entertainment. The Days also included lectures by N.Ye. Krollau of the State Hermitage Museum dedicated to the museum’s renowned collections: one of the world’s major collections of Dutch painting of the 17th century and the collection of French painting of the 19th-20th centuries.