Exhibition 'Peoples of Russia. Russian Porcelain Sculpture of the 19th – Early 20th Centuries'

About exhibition

The highest achievements in the art of Russian porcelain are associated with the Imperial Porcelain Factory, founded in 1744 and one of the largest porcelain manufactories in Europe. Through the efforts of sculptor Jean-Dominique Rashette a tradition of creating sculptural ensembles was established. A series of figures depicting the peoples of Russia, produced under his direction, determined the thematic focus of Russian porcelain sculpture. By the beginning of the 19th century, the common folk type had become one of the main themes in porcelain sculpture, reflecting the idea of a multinational Russian society. The basis for the exhibition's structure was the 'Map of Russia and the Peoples Inhabiting It' of 1866, which includes plans of St. Petersburg and Moscow, maps of all parts of the Russian Empire, and images of the peoples of Russia in national costumes. This principle was used in creating the exhibition display, which consists of three sections: 'Petersburg', 'Moscow' and 'All Russia'. The exhibition will present rare examples of sculptures from the series 'Peoples of Russia, Traders and Artisans', produced at the Imperial Porcelain Factory after the illustrations of the 1770s edition 'Description of All Peoples Living in the Russian State', as well as the famous series 'Peoples of Russia', created at the initiative of Emperor Nicholas II and timed to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov in 1913.