The Hermitage-Italy Centre in Ferrara, Italy

20 October, 2007 in Ferrara in the Castle Estense in the presence of President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano the solemn ceremony of opening of The Hermitage -Italy Center, located in the castle itself and in Palazzino Ginioli was held. These premises are meant for scientific work of participants of Russian-Italian programs which are the basis of the Center's activity.

The Hermitage-Italy Center is financed by the city and businessmen of Ferrara. As the place for the Hermitage-Italy Center Ferrara was chosen from several candidates among which there were Venice, Turin, Verona, and Mantua. The Center has two Directors: Italian and Russian and the Scientific Committee including Russian, Italian and Spanish scientists.

The center establishment is the reflection of new accents in the foreign policy of the State Hermitage - along with preservation of exhibiting activity special attention and financial capacities are directed at activation of scientific researches, being the basis of the Hermitage reputation as the world museum.

The main task is scientific work on study of the collection of Italian art and Russian-Italian cultural relations. Correspondently, the specified tasks of the Center are conducting of international scientific conferences, restoration seminars and exchange of restorers between the Hermitage and the National Center of restoration in Florence; publishing of the translated journals of Italian travelers in Russia and the Russian ones in Italy.

The Hermitage -Italy Center also coordinates wide activity of the Hermitage in Italy, in particular, the program of archeological cooperation with institution of Naples; exhibition exchange with Roman museums and etc.

In spring-autumn of 2008 exhibition Garofalo, dedicated to Ferrara's painting was held. Pictures from the museums of Italy, Russia, Germany and Great Britain took part in it.

The most significant result of the Hermitage Center's activity in Italy are publications: preparation and publishing of 10-volume catalogue of Italian collections of the Hermitage, the first volume of which (in Italian) was published in 2008, and in 2011 already the third scientific catalogue of the Hermitage collections, dedicated to the Italian Renaissance painting will come off the press.

On 30 May, 2011 the session of the Scientific Committee of the Hermitage-Italia Foundation was held in Ferrara under chairmanship of Mikhail Piotrovsky. The results of the year, passed from the day of the last meeting of the Scientific Committee were summarized there. During this period a series of conferences and lectures, dedicated to two main themes: history of the largest world museums formation and the anniversary year of Caravaggio was held in the Center. Scientists with world-wide reputation and heads of the most famous museums, in particular Vice Director of Prado Gabriele Finaldi, former Director of the Louvre Museum Pierre Rosenberg, Director of the National Gallery in London Nicholas Penny participated in them.

Grants of the Center for the current year were approved. A total of 65 people, including not only Russian and Italian specialists but representatives of Holland, France and Great Britain used the grants during the time of the Hermitage Italy Foundation operation.