Peter the Great. Collector, Scholar, Artist

28.11.2019 - 08.03.2020

Exhibition hall of the Assumption Belfry
Exhibition hall of the Patriarch's Palace

The epoch of Peter the Great is usually associated in collective consciousness with colossal reforms in the administrative sphere, birth of the regular army and navy, victories in the Great Northern War and transformation of the Russian society lifestyle. Peter the Great is much less known as the patron of arts and science and the founder of the first national public museum. His activities gave the country both brand new perception of the world and its place there. Collections of Peter the Great, both scientific and artistic, revealed new horizons for the Russian society, changed attitude towards current context, stimulated the interest of discoverers, statesmen, philanthropists as well as beauty connoisseurs. The aim of the exhibition is to demonstrate the significance and the revolutionary character of Peter the Great’s reforms concerning patronage of arts and science. It is the international exhibition project—the museums of Germany, Holland and the UK give on loan unique pieces from their collections. Apart from that many Russian museums, archives and libraries are actively involved in this project. The display includes about 200 pieces, viz memorial objects, unique archival documents, regalia, magnificent samples of ceremonial arms and armour, outstanding works of jewellery, paintings, sculptures, glyptics, medals and coins, scientific instruments that belonged to Peter the Great, objects from his ‘Chinese’ and ‘Siberia’ collections, as well as rare books and drawings with the records of historical, art and science collections of Peter the Great, which laid the foundation for the first public museum in Russia—Kunstkamera.