National Museum hosts 'Neo-Russian Style' exhibition

Times of Oman

20-06-2025

Muscat — Within the frameworks of "The Russian Seasons,' the National Museum inaugurated today the "Neo-Russian Style" exhibition hosted in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum, under the patronage of Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion.
The exhibition, which will run until 2 November 2025, is dedicated to the bright period in the history of artistic life of the Russian Empire in the 1880s - 1910s, when "the Russian style" in art formed several decades earlier was experiencing its new rise.
The features of the Neo-Russian style during the rule of the last emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II manifested themselves in the architecture of St. Petersburg, Moscow, large and small provincial towns of Russia, in works of painting, sculpture, decorative and applied art.
Jamal Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary General of the National Museum, stated in his opening speech that the inauguration of this exhibition comes as part of a series of cultural events under the Russian Cultural Seasons, reflecting the ongoing interaction with cultural and museological institutions in the Russian Federation to strengthen the bonds of cultural and museological cooperation — the most recent of which was the launch of the National Museum's website in the Russian language.
He added: "As part of cultural diplomacy, work is underway on a number of joint projects and events with the Russian Ministry of Culture, including the hosting of musical seasons at Bayt al-Greiza this coming October, as well as cooperation with the State Tretyakov Gallery to organize an exhibition on the pioneers of Omani fine art.
In the same context, there is also collaboration with the Moscow Kremlin Museums to present the exhibition 'Imperial Russia and the East,' in addition to the launch of a dedicated Omani publications corner at both Chechen State University and the National Library of Russia, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation."
On his turn, Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Sultanate of Oman, stated in his speech that the exhibition sheds light on a period of Russian culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known as the peak of the "Russian style", which reflects the diversity of
traditions of the Russian Empire as manifested in art, architecture, and daily life.
He added that this exhibition represents an important step in strengthening the cultural dialogue between the Russian Federation and the Sultanate of Oman, as it demonstrates how art and tradition can serve as a bridge between nations in the pursuit of preserving the world's cultural heritage.
During the ceremony, a video message from Professor Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, was presented. In his address, he expressed his delight at the opening of the exhibition "Neo-Russian Style", which illustrates the development of Russian culture from the 1880s to the 1910s.
The exhibition showcases remarkable examples of applied arts and historical masquerade costumes that were worn at court balls in Imperial Russia. He also referred to the opening of the second exhibition under the Hermitage Museum Corner initiative, entitled "Gifts of the Emirs of Bukhara and Central Asia to the Russian Imperial Court", and expressed his enthusiasm for the forthcoming exhibition in the "Oman Hall" at the State Hermitage Museum.
The exhibits include gifts to the Russian monarchs: tray dishes, saltcellars and fans. These items, like a mirror, reflected the idea of the unity of the people, the Church and the Tsar, formulated in the Russian Empire back in the first third of the 19th century as the official ideological triad.
Among the exhibits is a silver presentation dish presented to Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna by oilmen from the Absheron Peninsula during their visit to the Caucasus in 1888 CE. The dish was crafted in the Russian style at the renowned jewelry factory of Ivan Khlebnikov.
The exhibition also features a silver presentation salt cellar with Lid presented to Emperor Nicholas Il upon his return from his Eastern journey between 1890 and 1891. It was produced at the famous Pavel Ovchinnikov factory in Moscow and gifted to the emperor by artisans from the Southern Ural region.
Additionally, the exhibits include a lace fan made from Vologda bobbin lace, featuring the letter "M" engraved on a yellow Stain Pad in Wooden Case. The fan belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna and it dated 1883 CE.
Also, on display is a Portrait of a young woman wearing a traditional Russian outfit, including the kokoshnik headdress, painted by artist Sofya Yunker-Kramskaya, dating back to the early 20th century.
Of particular interest are the character costumes designed for the popular Russian-style costume parties of the time and made in the capital's shops by the best tailors for representatives of the imperial family and the highest aristocracy. Such parties were held both in the modest homes of ordinary townspeople and in the luxurious mansions of the Russian nobility, in halls rented for one evening by all sorts of charitable organizations, as well as in the glittering grand ducal and tsarist residences. It was during balls and masquerades, when costumes were the main component of the festivities, that the luxury and splendor of the Russian imperial court were manifested to the full extent.
The Yusupov princes whose costumes will be on display at the exhibition were said to be incomparable organizers of masquerades and "historical balls" in St Petersburg.
The most famous court masquerade in the Russian style was the grand ball of 1903 in the Winter Palace which specifically symbolized the greatness of the Romanov dynasty and received a wide public response. The luxurious costume of Grand Duchess Ksenia Aleksandrovna, a sister of Emperor Nicholas II, demonstrates the best the specific features of "the Russian style" in the costume of the early 20th century.
It is worth noting that the National Museum inaugurated, at the beginning of February this year, the second exhibition within the
"State Hermitage Museum Corner" initiative, titled "Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asia Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court." The exhibition marks the first event of the "Russian Seasons" in the Sultanate of Oman. It focuses on the deep and longstanding ties between Russia and the peoples of the East, highlighting the unique gifts presented by Eastern rulers to the Russian Imperial Court.
The second exhibition under the "Oman Hall" initiative, organized by the National Museum at the State Hermitage Museum and titled "The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa," attracted a total of 414,481 visitors between December 2023 and January 2025, reflecting strong interest among visitors in the rich cultural heritage of Oman.
The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world, housing a collection of over three million artefacts. Established in 1764, it is also one of the oldest museums globally and one of the most important tourist landmarks in Russia.
The museum is renowned for its vast complex, including the Winter Palace, a historical landmark in its own right. The museum's collection spans diverse cultures, featuring artworks from Eastern Europe, Russia, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Near and Far East, and Central Asia. It also houses an extensive numismatic collection covering antiquity to modern times, as well as weapons from Western Europe, the Middle East, and Russia, alongside numerous archaeological discoveries.
Each year, the museum welcomes approximately (4) million visitors. Its (500) exhibition galleries display over seventeen thousand paintings, (12.000) thousand sculptures, more than 1 million coins and medals, (800.000) archaeological artefacts, and over (360.000) applied arts objects. Additionally, the museum holds more than (600.000) graphic art pieces, making it one of the world's most significant cultural institutions.