Baltic Amber at the Hermitage Collections

Exhibition showing works from Baltic amber in the Hermitage collection opened on 20 August, 2002, in the Blue Bedroom (Room No. 307) of the Winter Palace. The exhibition for the first time shows about 120 objects made from this material which the museum has been collecting since the late 18th century.
The oldest exhibits are archeological finds from medieval Russian towns. Alongside them are works from Baltic amber acquired by Peter I during his travels abroad. Peter's infatuation with this sun-like material was inherited by his successors. The exhibition shows things which once were owned by Peter III, Catherine II and Maria Fedorovna, consort of Paul I. Many amber works which were in the possession of Russian Emperors after their death were transferred to the Jewelry Gallery.
In 1885-1887 the Hermitage received the collection of the Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal, one year later, pieces from the Golitsyn collection in Moscow.
Many things made from Baltic amber found their way from private collections to the Hermitage after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. They include works from collections of Princes Yusupov and Prince Fyodor I. Paskevich who owned chessmen made in the early 18th century in Koenigsberg and many smoking pipes with amber mouthpieces. The Hermitage also came in possession of a collection of smoking pipes from the Anichkov Palace. The museum has been adding new amber pieces to its collection over the last few years.
The exhibition shows all aspects of the fine work of carvers and other masters who worked with sun stone in the 16th-18th centuries and pays homage to the wonderful professionalism of restorer A.A. Zhuravlyov of OOO Obyedinyeniye Yantar who gave new life to the Hermitage amber collection. The restoration which ended recently was started in 1998.

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State Hermitage Director Mikhail Piotrovsky opening the exhibition

Restorer Alexander Zhuravlyov and Larisa Yakovleva, curator of the exhibition

At the exhibition