RUSSIAN CULTURE NEWS
_______________ News.museum.ru _________________________
Edition N 191                                         August 28, 2001
Number of subscribers 1724                issued from October 1997
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Translated by the ROID Translation Agency (http://www.roid.ru)
Our gratitude is expressed to them for all their professional efforts.
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-= CONTENTS =-

1. Exhibition of water-colors by V.S. Sadovnikov
2. An exhibition from the collection of the Tea and Coffee Museum
3. African cultures at the Museum of Oriental Arts
4. B. Kalita's one-man show
5. A summer tour over Europe in photos
6. 10th anniversary of August 1991 events
7. David Borovsky. Paintings and graphic art
8. State coaches in the Tsar Village
9. Bourdalut is not a sauce-boat
10. "Kazan Tea Party" in Kazan
11. Coachmen's bells and jingles in Rostov


-= 1 =-
Exhibition of water-colors by V.S. Sadovnikov
The State Museum named after A.S. Pushkin and the State Russian Museum
invite you to attend the opening ceremony of an exhibition "Water-colors by
V.S. Sadovnikov". Back in his time Gogol said that the entire St. Petersburg
can be only seen in Nevsky avenue. V.S. Sadovnikov on his part has
reproduced St. Petersburg of that time. His "Panorama of Nevsky Prospect"
displayed at our exhibition has become an original historic and artistic
document of the Puskin's era. The painter has thoroughly reconstructed the
details of the houses, having included in his panorama even the buildings
under construction and existing only in designs. The total length of the
panorama is 15.65 m. The exhibition also presents numerous street views of
the city. The artist has covered practically all parts of the 19th century
St. Petersburg in his water-colors, showing the city the way it looked like
at the time of Pushkin. This exhibition is a tour of the 19th century St.
Petersburg of a kind. One hall will get you to Nevsky avenue, in the next
one you will meet elegant ladies and gentlemen making their regular
promenade along the streets of the city, the third one will present St.
Petersburg at night, when the scattered light of first lanterns creates a
unique, mysterious atmosphere in the city. The exhibition will be open until
October 31, 2001.

The Pushkin Memorial Museum
Addres: Moscow, 12/2, Prechistenka Ulitsa
Direction: From metro station Kropotinskaya (the Ostozhenka Ulitsa exit),
take trolleybus 5,15,16 or 31
Phones: (095) 201-3256
E-mail: [email protected]


-= 2 =-
An exhibition from the collection of the Tea and Coffee Museum
The Museum of Moscow History and the London Tea and Coffee Museum present
their joint project, an exhibition "English Tea-Making Traditions", opened
on August 23, 2001 at the "Old English House" (a branch of the Museum of
Moscow History). The exhibition displays different items, documents,
illustrations presenting the history of tea, and samples of its various
grades. The exhibits include reproductions of ancient gravures, drawings and
documents pertaining to this subject, and a collection of tea-serving items.

Old English Yards Chambers
Addres: Moscow, Varvarka str., 4a
Phones: (095) 298-3952, 298-3961


-= 3 =-
African cultures at the Museum of Oriental Arts
The State Museum of Oriental Arts houses an exhibition "Images of Tropical
Africa", organized in the framework of the "Africana" forum and
international congress "African Studies in the 20th century". The exposition
features exhibits from 18 countries of this continent (Guinea, Sierra-Leone,
Benin, Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria, Mali and others), which introduce the
visitors to national handcrafts of dozens of African peoples. There are 130
items of the 18th-20th centuries displayed at the exhibition. Statuettes of
deities, ritual and carnival masks, symbols of power of African hoodoo
priests and chiefs of African tribes, as well as contemporary paintings and
sculptures; this is the first time that the art of Tropical Africa has been
represented in Russia so abundantly. The Museum of Oriental Arts has been
collecting monuments of African cultures from mid-1950s. Along with the
Institute of Asia and Africa (a department of the Moscow State University
named after M.V. Lomonosov) this Museum is an important center for research
in the cultures of African countries.

The State Museum of Oriental Art
Addres: Moscow, 12a, Nikitsky Boulevard
Direction: From Metro Stations Arbatskaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya or
Chekhovskaya, take either trolleybus 15 or 31
Phones: (095) 291-0341, 291-9614, 202-4555


-= 4 =-
B. Kalita's one-man show
The State Museum of Ceramics and the "Kuskovo 18th Century Country Estate"
present a one-man show of B. Kalita, featuring artist's works from the
Museum's funds and the private collection of the author, created over
1970-1990. Boris Kalita is a Russian leading contemporary porcelain artist.
While developing the traditions of Russian avant-garde of the 1920s-1930s,
B. Kalita also creates new forms and shapes. His works made in 1970-1980
demonstrate eloquent plastic silhouettes decorated with laconic designs or
by relief reminding forms typical for the Empire style. The artist prefers
quiet landscapes of central Russia characterized by a lyrical, gentle style
close to the watercolor technique. In the decor B. Kalita employs images of
old Russian architectural monuments, fantastic birds, animals and flowers.
B. Kalita has created over 100 works which have been displayed both in
Russia and abroad. His best works belong to Russian museums and private
collections in France, Czechia, Germany, USA and Chile.

The Museum of Ceramics and the 18th Century Kuskovo Estate
Addres: Moscow, 2, Ulitsa Yunosti
Direction: From metro station 'Ryazanskii Prospect' take bus 133 or 208 to
the stop named after the museum
Phones: (095) 370-0160


-= 5 =-
A summer tour over Europe in photos
The Architectural Museum presents an exhibition of old-time stereopair
taxiphotos "A European tour of a Russian family in a pre-WW1 summer". In the
summer before the 1st World War which started in 1914 a rank-and-file
Russian family decided to make a trip to Europe. They visited Austria and
Switzerland, followed by Germany, France and England. At the beginning of
the tour the family also visited Poland and Finland, but at that time these
countries which were a part of the Russian empire were not regarded as
foreign. Thanks to this trip the photocollection of the Architectural Museum
now includes a wonderful set of 600 amateur photos which impressed the
images of the lost world of the early 20th century. The exhibition displays
48 snapshots presented as a traveling diary: first the Alexandrovsky
(Belorussian) railway station, then Warsaw with its now destroyed Russian
Cathedral, followed by the views of the Alps taken in two countries, houses,
hotels, births, railway stations, touching pictures of cars, genre-pieces,
and a photo of St. Petersburg port which the travelers visited at the end of
their tour.

The State Reseach Museum of Architecture named after A.B.Schusev
Addres: Moscow, 5, Vozdvizshenka str.
Phones: (095) 290-4855, 290-0551
URL: www.muar.ru
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]


-= 6 =-
10th anniversary of August 1991 events
A Museum and Public Center "Peace, Progress and Human Rights" named after
Andrei Sakharov invite you to visit an exhibition "August 1991. 10th
anniversary of August 19-22 events - the State Emergency Committee.
Attempted political coup", presenting photos made by Alexander Podosinov. In
addition to these photos the exhibition also displays materials of the
Parliamentary Commission which investigated the causes and circumstances of
the attempted coup d'etat (from L. Ponomaryov's archives).

Museum and Public Centre " Peace, Progress and Peoples Rights" named after
Andrey Saharov
Addres: Moscow, 57, Zemlyanoy val
Phones: (095) 917-2653, 923-4401, 923-4420
URL: www.infoline.ru/g23/1780/
E-mail: [email protected]


-= 7 =-
David Borovsky. Paintings and graphic art
The Marble Palace houses an exhibition presenting a retrospective display of
the works by a brilliant artist from St. Petersburg David Borisovich
Borovsky, dedicated to his 75th anniversary. The fist vintage work by the
artist in book typography were his illustrations to Turgenev's novel "Spring
Tide". In the 1960s Borovsky was engaged in printmaking which dynamically
revealed new traits of his gift, his publicistic and social talents. Over
many years the author has been attracted by the worker's image reflected in
his lithographic series "Workers of the "Electrosila" plant" (1963) and
"Soviet Youth" (1975). These portrait series, ideologized in accordance with
the prevailing atmosphere of that time, haven't lost their edge today -
first of all thanks to their sincere tone, a serious approach to the search
of portrait characters. D. Borovsky is an experienced graphic artist,
sophisticated practically in all graphic techniques. One of his series
presents portraits of outstanding musicians showing the process of their
creative work: D. Shostakovich, E. Mravinsky, M. Rostropovich, Yu.
Temirkanov, E. Virsaladze. In 1990 the artist abandoned graphic arts and
turned to painting. Over these years the artist has mainly painted oils and
pastels, including portraits and scapes, with many of his works devoted to
ballet and childhood.

The Marble Palace
Addres: Saint-Peterburg, 5/1, Millionnaya Ulitsa
Direction: From either metro station Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospect, take
any of the following: buses 25, 46, 134; trams 2, 12, 34, 32, 54
Phones: (812) 312-9196, 312-9054


-= 8 =-
State coaches in the Tsarskoe  Selo
A Museum and Preservation Area "Tsarskoe  Selo" houses an exhibition "State
coaches". The exposition presents state and every-day equipages of the
Russian Emperor, 31 in total. This collection of coaches started to shape up
over 80 years ago. After the Museum of Court Stables had been dissolved, the
Ekaterininsky Palace received 52 coaches in addition to the equipages
already available there. During the Great Patriotic War these rarities were
kept at the Hermitage, and in 1969 half of the collection items returned to
the old premises. There they were thoroughly inspected and restored by
experts. In the course of restoration works the experts managed to find out
names of some authors, such as a French cartwright Michalon, who had made
the coach for Empress Maria Fyodorovna, and Cramer, an English master who
had made the coaches for Grand Dukes Alexander and Konstantin Pavlovich, and
others. At the exhibition the visitors will get acquainted with fine pieces
by Russian and foreign cartwrights of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The State Museum and Estate "Tsarskoe Selo"
Addres: Leningrad region, 7, Sadovaya Ulitsa, Pushkin Town
Phones: (812) 466-6674
URL: http://www.tzar.ru, http://www.tzar.ru/amber
E-mail: [email protected]


-= 9 =-
Bourdalut is not a sauce-boat
A State Museum and Preservation Area "Petergoff" has recently published a
booklet "Emperor's Baths and Kitchens in Petergoff", dedicated to the
freshly renovated Bathhouse, now open to public. Here, besides the tubs and
steam-baths visitors can also see some amazing articles - for example, a
"bourdalut". "In antique shops they are sometimes sold as sauce-boats", -
says General Director of the Museum V.V. Znamenov", - but actually they have
a different function". A porcelain bourdalut really reminds a sauce boat,
but in fact this is a prosy bed-pan which got its name from a French orator
of the time of Louis XVI Bourdalut who often engaged in lengthy speeches
which were very popular with the public. Ladies-in-waiting, so as not to
miss a word of these speeches, often brought these pans with them, which
they hid in their bag-muffs.

The Art and Architectural Museum and Estate "Petergof"
Addres: Saint-Peterburg, 2, UlitsaRazvodnaya, Petergof
Direction: Local trains go from Baltisky Station, St Petersburg, to 'Novy
Petergof' Station. There is also a hydrofoil service that leaves from two
terminals: on the Makarova Emba
Phones: (812) 427-9226, 427-9953, 427-7425


-= 10 =-
"Kazan Tea Party" in Kazan
The National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan houses an exhibition "Kazan
Tea Party", telling the visitors about the history of tea, tea ceremony
traditions and its accessories. The exhibition displays about 20 samovars of
the 19th and 20th centuries made at the factories owned by Batashev, Teile,
the Shemarins and some others. These samovars are different in form, size,
decoration, and manner. One can find samovars in the shape of a tower,
wineglass, and globe, and unique, rich in ornament articles. In addition to
"classical" samovars the exposition demonstrates "samovars-cookers" having
internal sections for simultaneous cooking of several dishes: buillottes
(kettles/warming pans with a blazer) which appeared in Russia after the war
of 1812; traveling ("camp") samovars, tavern samovars, etc. The visitors can
get acquainted with the history of trading houses dealing in tea, which used
to belong to Kazan merchants, as well as with the interiors of an early 20th
century grocery and of the tea/dining room of the Kazan Temperance Society
where in addition to tea visitors were also offered newspapers and
magazines. The exhibition presents a rich collection of the 19th and 20th
century tea-things made of china and metal, including memorabilia.

The Associated State Museum of Tatarstan Republic
Addres: Tatarstan republic, 2, Kremlevskaya str., Kazan
Phones: (8432) 92-7162
URL: http://www.tatar.museum.ru
E-mail: [email protected]


-= 11 =-
Coachmen's bells and jingles in Rostov
The opening ceremony of an exhibition "Coachmen's bells and jingles from the
collection of Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Kim" took place on the 17th of
August at the State Museum and Preservation Area "Rostov Kremlin". This is
the first exposition taking place in the new, recently built branch of this
museum, which got the name of "The Museum of Private Collections". The
Museum of Private Collections was organized by V.A. Kim (1938-2000), the
Director of "Rostov Kremlin" from 1988 to 1999, an enthusiastic collector.
V.A. Kim amassed the country's biggest collection of bells and jingles
comprised of more than 2000 items, which includes not only shaft-bow bells
made at different workhouses, but also neck jingles, door, cabinet,
fishermen's, stationary and other bells, and details of horse harness.
Readings in bell studies, devoted to the memory of V.A. Kim, timed to the
exhibition opening, were held on August 18, 2001. The readings were attended
by collectors of shaft-bow bells, museum researchers (including
representatives of the Valdai Museum of Bells, the only museum having a
standing exposition of bells in the country), and by other people interested
in this subject.

State Museum-Preserv "Rostov Kremlin"
Addres: Yaroslavl region, Museum, Kremlin, Rostov
Phones: (08536) 3-1717, 3-3294
E-mail: [email protected]
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