The Russian Academy Of Arts

The exhibition in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts is to be held in Manezh from June 15 till June 27, 2007.  The large jubilee exposition will showcase the history and current functions of this foremost art entity of Russia that through its art institutions, schools and museums executes educational, research, museum and exhibition activity in the field of fine arts, architecture, design, art history and criticism.

The historical division of the exhibition begins with the Academy foundation initiated by I. Shuvalov in the reign of Empress Elizabeth and enhancement of its role  by Catherine the Great who approved the Academy charter. Visitors can  trace the gradual development of the academic system of art education  in Russia for more than two centuries.  The display contains masterpieces of the collection of the Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts and its affiliates. Among them are  works by such celebrated masters as  A. Antropov,  I. Asknasia, I. Kramskoi, V. Tropinin, N. Utkin, F. Bruni, K. Bryullov, V. Polenov,    N. Ghe, A. Losenko, L. Lagorio, B. Veniga, B. Villewald, P. Shindler, I. Myasoedov, V. Sverchkov, A. Ryabushkin, I. Lanskoi, K. Savitski, I.Repin, I. Levitan, A. Golovin, F. Malyavin, A. Benois, N. Feshin, V. Savitski and many others.  The exhibition also offers a huge canvas by V. Yakobi “Inauguration of the Imperial Academy of Arts on July  7th,  1765”, a portrait gallery of the  Academy trustees,  its presidents and remarkable teachers, as well as unique architectural models including  a splendid model of the Smolni Cathedral designed by B. Rastrelli.

Of exclusive technique are  drawings of architectural projects, magnificent buildings, ensembles,  monuments created by noted Russian architects V. Zakharov,  A. Voronikhin, C. Rossi, O. Monferran, O. Bove, K. Ton and others.

The best traditions of  home art and architecture  have been inherited by artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.  Of big interest are works by our contemporaries: President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli;  its members B. Efimov,  G. Korzhev,  V. Ivanov, A. Mylnikov, D. Zhilinski, T. Nazarenko, N. Nesterova, P. Nikonov,  A. Vasnetsov, I. Obrosov, A. Vasnetsov, P. Ossovski, E. Zverkov, V. Sidorov, E. Maximov, E. Drobitski, the Tkachev brothers, T. Salakhov, A. Shmarinov, I. Golitsyn,  M. Miturich, A. Acritas, etc.

Visitors will see a selection of sculptures by such masters as V. Tsygal, A. Bichukov, Y. Chernov, A. Rukavishnikov, M. Pereyaslavets,   A. Pologova, A. Burganov and others testifying to the high level of modern sculpture and  diversity of its genres and techniques.

A special division of the exhibition  dedicated to the architecture and monumental art represents projects, photographs, models that give an idea of the activity of  modern Russian leading architects M. Posokhin, Y. Platonov, Y. Gnedovski, V. Krasilnikov. Individual architectural projects are exhibited together with projects designed by big  teams of architects who were involved in the recreation of art decoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The exhibition’s selection of decorative and applied art as well as theatrical decorative art is wonderfully diverse and includes artworks by the Academy academicians B. Messerer, M. Kurilko-Ryumin, E. Kochergin, V. Levental, D. Borovski, L. Savelieva, V. Maloletkov, D. Shushkanov, L. Shushkanov.

Visitors will have an opportunity to see works by the Academy members from many regions of Russia.   

The exhibitions also offers books, albums and other editions on Russian and  world art written by the Academy art critics, who made a big contribution to the history of arts.

Of major interest is the exhibition division of documentary photographs displaying a chronicle of the Academy activity from the mid-19th century.

Admission is free from 10 a.m. till 08 p.m. 

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