The heritage of the Hermitage

• Source: Global Times
• [09:56 September 07 2010]
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A decorative snuff box and delicate china ornaments. Photos: Courtesy of Shanghai Museum

A devoted enthusiast, Catherine the Great was obsessed with collecting jewelry and bought many great works of art, including masterpieces by da Vinci and Rubens.

The major section of the exhibition is concerned with Catherine, with paintings of her and her close aides, as well as displays of jewelry, gold and silver ornaments, porcelain, furniture and sculptures.

In a special case is an egg-shaped ivory snuff box belonging to Peter the Great - one of the Catherine's favorite items, she took it with her everywhere, showing her admiration for the Czar.

Standing before the large portrait of Empress Catherine the Great, visitor Shi Xueqin, 30, was enraptured.

"I read books about Catherine the Great before and I always thought she was unparalleled as a woman. I am not an art expert, but the aesthetic power of these masterpieces is universal," said Shi.

The Star of the North exhibition marks the first time the State Hermitage Museum has sent an exhibition to China. It is a friendly reciprocal gift to the Shanghai Museum for loaning its exhibition of ancient Chinese relics to Russia in 2007.

A Russian national, Dimitry Predius, from Moldova was very impressed by a gold chalice with grisaille insets. He said: "I have seen some of the exhibits at the Hermitage before, but only 3 percent of its collection is open to the public."