RUSSIAN CULTURE NEWS
_______________ News.museum.ru _________________________
Edition N 189                                         Jule 31, 2001
Number of subscribers 1716                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. History and map: development of national cartography
2. Russian America. Imperial Russia and the New World
3. A whim of a learned man. Prince N.B.Yusupov
4. Water colors by Sergei Andriyaki at Kolomenskoye
5. Washed by warm seas
6. Photographic heritage of old masters
7. Landscape gardening in the 18th and 19th centuries
8. "Transformation of shape" at Arkhangelskoye
9. Tumen. A glance at the past
10. Sergiev-Posad Museum houses a new exposition
11. Esenin's Museum welcomes guests again
12. The first elm manuscript


-= 1 =-
History and map: development of national cartography
The State Museum of History which possesses one of the biggest collections
of maps in Russia, proceeds with its series of exhibitions devoted to the
emergence and development of national cartography in the 18th, 19th and 20th
centuries. The new series "History and map: three ages of Russian
cartography" is timed to the 300th anniversary of publication by Adrian
Shkhonebek of his famous map of the Azov sea - the first engraved map based
on surveys by Russian cartographers and charted using mathematical
principles. This map laid the foundation of the Russian cartographic
production. The second exhibition of this series shows the development of
Russian cartography in the 19th century. The visitors will see maps
associated with the most important historical events of this period.
Muscovites will be interested to see a map of Moscow environments dated
1823, covering the area of today's Moscow. The exhibition will be open until
November 1, 2001.

The State Historical Museum
Addres: Moscow, 1/2, Red Square
Direction: metro stations 'Okhotny Ryad', 'Teatralnaya', 'Ploshchad
Revolutsii'
Phones: (095) 292-4019, 292-3731
URL: http://www.shm.ru
E-mail: shm@shm.ru


-= 2 =-
Russian America. Imperial Russia and the New World
The Russian Ministry for Culture, the State Historical Museum and the
Foundation for Cultural Cooperation between Russia and America present the
exhibition "Russian America. Imperial Russia and the New World". The
exposition prepared for a new anniversary of the Russian-American Company
(1799-1867) tells the visitors about exploration of the American North-West
(Russian America), unveiling pages of the history of friendship between the
two continents and the two countries and providing specific details of the
Russian-American relationship. The visitors will see about 20 cultural
artefacts which include costumes, articles made of wood, leather, bone,
precious metals, chinaware. All these exhibits narrate about travels and sea
voyages, peoples' everyday life and traditions, luster of the emperor's
court, diplomatic service, and Russian hospitality. The exhibition will be
open until September 17, 2001.

The State Historical Museum
Addres: Moscow, 1/2, Red Square
Direction: metro stations 'Okhotny Ryad', 'Teatralnaya', 'Ploshchad
Revolutsii'
Phones: (095) 292-4019, 292-3731
URL: http://www.shm.ru
E-mail: shm@shm.ru


-= 3 =-
A whim of a learned man. Prince N.B.Yusupov
The Russian Ministry of Culture, the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, The
State Hermitage Museum and the State Memorial Estate "Arkhangelskoye"
present an exhibition "A whim of a learned man" (Collection of Prince
Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov). The exhibition introduces one of the largest
collections of West-European paintings and Russian decorative art of the
18th-19th centuries, which used to belong to Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov
(1750/51-1831). Prince Yusupov was a state figure, a diplomat, Director of
the Hermitage Museum and of the Armory Chamber, an admirer and a patron of
arts. The exhibition is the first documentary reconstruction of the famous
private collection which chronologically reflects the prevailing trends in
the styles at the early stage of emergence and development of European
neoclassicism and early romanticism. The exhibition will display over 500
entries, including 100 paintings, as well as sculptures, artware, drawings,
and a unique catalogue of Yusupov's collection, containing several volumes
published in 1827-1829. The exhibition will demonstrate the uniqueness of
this collection which reflects the tastes of its owner who collected art
pieces for half a century. The exhibition will be shown in Moscow from July
31 till November 11, 2001 at the Pushkin Museum, and from December 2001 to
February 2002 - at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
Addres: Moscow, 12, Volkchonka Street
Direction: metro station 'Kropotinskaya'
Phones: (095) 203-9578, 203-7998, 203-7412
URL: www.museum.ru/gmii
E-mail: finearts@gmii.museum.ru


-= 4 =-
Water colors by Sergei Andriyaki at Kolomenskoye
The exhibition hall "Year 1825 Pavilion" - a part of the State Conservation
Area and Museum "Kolomenskoye" - will house an exhibition of paintings by an
Honored Artist of the RF, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of
Arts S.N. Andriyaki. The exhibition "Water colors by Sergei Andriyaki"
presents over 70 works painted in the classical water color style, picturing
Russian churches, townscapes, Russian province and foreign countries, still
life, and flowers. The museum on its part exhibits pieces from its own
collections, which, in suit with the artist's paintings, create an
exceptional atmosphere, full of admiration of the Russian land, its beauty
and glory. The exhibition will be open to the public until August 19, 2001.

The State Art and Architectural Museum Estate "Kolomenskoye"
Addres: Moscow, 39, Prospect Andropova
Direction: Metro Station: Kolomenskoe
Phones: (095) 112-8174, 114-8298
URL: www.museum.ru/kolomen
E-mail: kolomen@museum.ru


-= 5 =-
Washed by warm seas
At the eve of the Independence Day of Indonesia, the State Museum of the
Orient houses an exhibition "Washed by warm seas:", presenting paintings by
11 well-known Russian artists. The exposition displays about 100 out of 700
pictures painted in oil and crayon, graphical works, sculptures, as well as
tapestry and painted silk. This exhibition was preceded by a two-month
journey of Russian artists to Indonesia last year. Such an action is
unprecedented by its scale and character in the history of cultural ties
between the two countries. Vladimir Anisimov, Alexander Belashov, Stanisalv
Nikireev, and other recognized art masters have vividly and colorfully
reproduced the exotic nature of this wonderful country. At the exhibition's
opening ceremony Vladimir Anisimov addressed Megavati Sukarnoputri, who took
the President's oath of office on Monday, thanking her for "the rendered
assistance in the preparation and organization of the expedition". The
exhibition will be open until August 13, 2001.

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


-= 6 =-
Photographic heritage of old masters
The "PhotoSoyuz" gallery run by the Russian Association of Photo Artists
invites you to the photo-exhibition "Old masters. Photographic heritage".
The gallery exhibits works by national photography classics, such as
Alexander Grinberg, Naum Granovsky, Robert Diament, Anatoly Egorov, Emma
Yevzerikhina, Boris Ignatovich, Georgi Lipskerov, Mark Markov-Grinberg,
Georgi Petrusov, Mark Redjkin, Victor Rukovitch, Yakov Riumkin, Mikhail
Savin, Alexander Ustinov, Evgeni Khaldei, Yakov Khalip, Arkadi Shaikhet. The
exhibition is open for the visitors till September, 2001.

The "PhotoSoyuz" gallery by the Russian Association of Photo Artists
Addres: Moscow, 5, Pokrovka street
Phones: 921-5727
URL: http://www.photounion.ru
E-mail: photosoyuz@arstel.ru, photounion@df.ru


-= 7 =-
Landscape gardening in the 18th and 19th centuries
Moscow, with the support of the capital's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, will hold the
First Moscow Flower Festival "Landscape gardening in 18th and 19th
centuries", which will take place from July 14 to September 10, 2001. The
goals of the Festival are: revival of the country estate "Kuzminki" - a
memorial of Moscow landscape architecture; demonstration of traditional
techniques used in estate landscape gardening in the 18th and 19th century;
raising of the level of flower decoration in Moscow. State-owned and private
companies specializing in landscape architecture and flower-growing were
invited to take part in the Festival. The main requirement to the flower
bedding and flowers to be presented for the contest is compliance with the
traditions and spirit of the time. The jury will announce the contest
results by the Day of the City in Moscow (early September).

The country estate "Kuzminki"
Addres: Moscow, 6, Topolevaya alley
Phones: 377-9457


-= 8 =-
"Transformation of shape" at Arkhangelskoye
The Memorial Estate "Arkhangelskoye" and the "New Jerusalem" Museum invite
you take part in the opening ceremony of an exhibition presenting works by
Sergei Rudenski "Transformation of shape", which will take place on August 2
at the building "Over the Gully Storehouse". The exhibition presents over
fifty paintings and drawings, including landscapes, still life, portraits,
and scenes form the Evangel, painted by the author over the last decade. The
diversity of exhibited works allows to demonstrate the author's quest for
new forms shown in the process of shape evolution and transformation. The
author's figurative arrangement, dynamic color palette, a strong and refined
decorative talent create a unique atmosphere in his works, harmonic in all
their paradoxes, and reflect the artist's outlook on this world,
simultaneously ironical and romantic.

Museum-Estate "Arkhangelskoye"
Addres: Moscow region, Archangelskoe, Krasnogorskii Raiyon
Direction: From Metro Station 'Tyshinskaya', take bus 549 to the stop named
after the museum.
Phones: (095) 560-2231
URL: http://www.museum.ru/archang/enter.htm
E-mail: liakishev@yahoo.com


-= 9 =-
Tumen. A glance at the past
The exhibition hall of the St. Petersburg Artists Association houses an
exhibition "Tumen. A glance at the past". The main goal of this project is
to show Tumen in paintings and drawing the way it was 100 years ago while
preserving historical details of that period. The exposition displays
paintings and drawings by the Chief Architect of Mosproject V. Vorobiev. His
works are inspired by the themes he found in the old streets of the city.
The author has tried to restore the view of the old city, which is now being
studied by historians and researchers in local history and traditions and
which is so dear to Tumen's inhabitants. After St. Petersburg where the
exhibition will be open until 5 August 2001, it will be shown in Tumen.

The exhibition hall of the St. Petersburg Artists Association houses
Addres: Saint-Peterburg, 38, Bolshaya Morskaya street
Phones: (812) 314-3060


-= 10 =-
Sergiev-Posad Museum houses a new exposition
Sergiev-Posad Museum and Conservation Area located on the territory of the
Troitse-Sergieva Lavra has opened a new exposition complex "19th century
vestry of the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra". The full collection of the vestry
treasures will be exhibited for the first time in the history of this
Museum. This famous collection, dating back to the middle of the 14th
century, became a part of the Museum's funds in 1920. The new exposition
complex has helped the Museum to solve the problem of premises shortage and
to exhibit in it the vestry collection in whole.

Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum and Reserve
Addres: Moscow region, Lavra, Sergiev Posad
Phones: (09654) 453-56
URL: www.musobl.divo.ru
E-mail: sergiev@divo.ru


-= 11 =-
Esenin's Museum welcomes guests again
The house of Sergei Esenin's parents in the Konstantinovo village (Ryazan
region) reopened its doors to the visitors on July 17 after completion of
restoration works, which had been started last year fall. The wooden walls
of the house built in 1922 were affected by the inexorable time and
specialists from Ryazan Restoration Research and Industrial Complex had to
practically rebuild the house. Reconstruction of the house and other
buildings on the territory of the State Preservation Area and Museum of
Sergei Esenin cost over 1.5 mil Rubles. 70% of the works were funded from
the federal budget, with considerable donations also received from the
regional administration and sponsors.

S.A.Esenin State Museum and Preserv
Addres: Ryazan region, Konstantinovo, Ribnovsky raion
Phones: (09137) 5-1608


-= 12 =-
The first elm manuscript
The first elm manuscript was found on the territory of the Nerev End (a part
of mediaeval Novgorod) on July 26, 1951. The manuscript was found during
archeological excavations in the 14th-15th centuries level. This event
inaugurated a new ear in historic studies in Russia of the middle ages (up
to the 15th century). The 50th anniversary of this finding will be
celebrated in 2001. Over the past 50 years the number of elm manuscripts
found in Novgorod has reached 915 pieces. Apart from Novogorod such
manuscripts were also found in other 10 ancient Russian towns and cities,
including Staraya Russa, Smolensk, Torzhok, Pskov, Tver, Zvenigorod
Galitiski (Ukraine), Moscow, Ryazan, Vitebsk (Belorussia), Mstislavl
(Belorussia). Usually elm manuscripts are found in the 11th-15th centuries
archeological levels. The oldest manuscript dates back from the first half
of the 11th century, and the latest - from the second half of the 15th
century. The texts are scratched on elm with a special tool called "pisalo",
sharp on one end and paddle-shaped on the other. Over the period of
excavations in Novgorod more than 200 such tools have been found there,
mainly made of iron, with a few of them made of bone and only several made
of bronze. The majority of the manuscripts are written in old Russian (the
colloquial language of that time), with some of them being written in Church
Slavic (the book tongue).
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