Janet Kaiser on tue 21 nov 00
HRH Prince Charles opened the "Hermitage Room"
at Somerset House in London today. Exhibitions
will change every ten months.
This first exhibition is of work collected by
Catherine the Great of Russia and apparently
includes the famous service made by Wedgwood.
This was an enormous service of over 1000 pieces
which Wedgwood was commissioned to make for
Catherine in 1774.
As Catherine was one of the biggest art
collectors the world has ever known and the
Hermitage has over three million exhibits, it
will be interesting to hear what else was
selected for a single room!
According to the current director of The
Hermitage, $25 million per year are needed to
keep the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg,
Russia open to the public. More is needed to
keep up with much needed conservation work, so
let's hope this undertaking in London will help
with funding, now state aid has dried up in
Russia. Last time I heard, the post 1917 works,
including Klee and a whole floor of what the
nazis classed "degenerate art", were in dire
need of restoration.
The Hermitage has always on my "wish list"...
Hope to visit one day... Once Russia becomes
affordable, maybe? If you visit one gallery per
day, you get to see the whole collection in a
year!!
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
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