Exhibitions: Exposition “Collection of G. Duke Mecklenburg-Strelitz” in Saint-Petersburg

November 15, 2012 in the Rumyantsev Mansion (St. Petersburg) is open an exhibition "The Duke G. G. Mecklenburg-Strelitz Collection at the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg".

The exhibition, combined more than 200 exhibits, presents rare illustrated works, Russian, English and French engravings and lithographs of the XVIII-XIX centuries, included to the collection of the Duke Georgy Mecklenburg-Strelitz and his family - one of the richest private collections of St. Petersburg. These are images of ancient monuments, views of cities in Western Europe, Russia and the East. The exhibition is supplemented by rare book editions and photographs related to the history of the family of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Many of the works are on display for the first time.

The exhibition presents a preserved in the collections of GMI St. Petersburg part of the art and the book collection of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Many of the works included in its composition, are related to the so-called genre of "picturesque travels", formed in the 1770-1780-s and being so popular throughout the XIX century.

A significant part of the exhibition consists of prints with images of Western European cities - the so-called «souvenir», popular with travelers.

Along with the development of the genre "beautiful journey" there was originated the tradition of describing collections of antiquities. It was connected with the desire of travelers to search, study and collect the remnants of ancient cultures. The exhibition presents compositions of this kind by famous works.

The exposition is supplemented by materials relating to the history of the family of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: photo portraits of the Duke G. G. Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Countess N. F. Karlova, Michael Pavlovich, Elena Pavlovna, and Catherine Mikhailovna. Photographs of residences of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: Mikhailovsky Palace and the house on the Fontanka embankment, 46 in St. Petersburg, Oranienbaum are presented (1880, 1910), as well as pictures of interior house made of paper, made by A. K. and V. K. Bulla Bulla in 1927: they had already depicted the exhibition "Museums of the City" with objects from the collection of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.