The Hermitage exhibition completes the Year of Italy in Russia

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The Hermitage exhibition completes the Year of Italy in Russia


The Hermitage exhibition completes the Year of Italy in Russia Hermitage an exhibition introducing the antiquities of Herculaneum. The exhibition, implemented jointly with the Special Office of the Archaeological Heritage of Naples and Pompeii, is the last significant event in the official program of the Year of Italy in Russia.

"We are opening today absolutely amazing exhibition, which crowns the whole year of exchanges and events related to the Year of Russia-Italy" - the director of the St. Petersburg Museum Michael Piotrowski at the last press conference yesterday. According to him, this is an ambitious and highly symbolical exhibition telling about the early days of European culture. "That shows - this is the origins of the civilization to which we are among ourselves," - said director of the Hermitage.

The exhibition includes the works of ancient art, found in Herculaneum and stored now in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The first refers to amaze his expressive frescoes of the ancient city. "We certainly see here the most famous heroes of mythology and history," - says the head of the Neapolitan Museum Sampaolo Valery - "And I must say that the artistic merit of these works can be compared only with the works of Raphael." Not less important ancient statues of bronze, which had never before been exhibited in the temporary exhibitions at the Hermitage, and the imposing sculpture. The demonstration last became possible only thanks to the development of the General Staff of the space, without which the place is so massive it would work just anywhere.

Some works have got to show for a long time lain in storage rooms of the museum of Naples. Now to get acquainted with the opportunity to artifacts from a wide audience. To carry out the demonstration works in St. Petersburg was difficult enough, but the Italian side has successfully coped with the task. The main problem was related to transportation. "One of the sculptures, which we planned to move, was so great that it simply can not be packaged in a box, because such a box or container would not fit on any car," - says Valery Sampaolo. After final approval of the selected sculpture exhibitions all still were carefully packaged and delivered to Russia in compliance with all safety precautions.

The work done by Italian experts proved to be so serious that Michael Piotrowski singled her apart. "The exhibition tells us about many things, including the formulation of the museums in Italy," - he said - "This is a brilliant example of how to save the monuments, how to make the exhibition." According to him, there are a number of things, which in Italy are doing far better than in other European countries.

From the Russian side, the process of organizing the exhibition led by Head of the Department of the Ancient World of the Hermitage, Ph.D. Anna Mills. For her project was an important step in preserving and transmitting knowledge about the cultural heritage of antiquity. Mills pointed out that the process of cooperation between Russia and Italy in this direction is underway for quite some time. Since 2009, excavations in the ancient Italian city is the Hermitage archaeological expedition. Already made interesting discoveries, which next year will show the citizens of the Northern capital in a special exhibition.

The current exhibition is presented in one of the covered households reconstructed the General Staff. "The building is the main State - Museum of the XXI century and it seems very appropriate and symbolic that this museum is the first exhibition - an exhibition of ancient art" - says Mills. "Many modern space filled with air and light, with a ladder-like amphitheater, a suitable scale and grandeur of ancient sculpture and frescoes wonderful" - she added.

The exhibition runs until February 12. During this period, everyone will be able to see the exhibits brought from Italy and see the renovated building of the General Staff for free. Such a gift for the New Year has decided to make the inhabitants of the northern capital of the State Hermitage director Mikhail Piotrovsky.