History of Russia: “Holy Russia” Exhibition in Moscow

The exhibition called “Holy Russia” will kick off in Moscow. A unique exhibition which won a great success while in the Louvre, Paris in spring 2010, this time will be put on show in Russia. It will be launched May 25, 2011 in the State Tretyakov Gallery and later move to St. Petersburg.

“Holy Russia” exposition opened a series of events within the framework of the Cultural Exchange Year between France and Russia. For the first time this exhibition managed to bring together more than 400 unique items of icon painting, monumental art, book illustrations, gold embroidery and jewelry originating from the collections of Russian museums, libraries and archives. The exposition spanned more than a thousand years of Russian history: from Ancient Russia to the reign of Peter the Great. Such an exposition has never been displayed in Russia before. Therefore it was decided to show the “Holy Russia” not only in France but in Russia as well.

Specially for Russia, the exposition was decided to include several more pieces from holdings and storerooms of the Russian Museum and Tretyakov Gallery. Thus, e.g. only Moscow and St. Petersburg will have a chance to see the 16th c. icon of “Mother of God the Sign. The Battle of the Novgorodians with the Suzdalians” from the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery. While the Louvre will also for the first time provide one of its most valuable exhibits – shoulder strap of Andrei Bogolyubsky.