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Muscat Daily
6 days ago
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
Neo-Russian art exhibition opens at National Museum
Muscat – The National Museum on Saturday inaugurated the Neo-Russian Style exhibition, presented in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, under the patronage of H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. The exhibition is part of the wider cultural initiative 'The Russian Seasons' and will run until November 2, 2025. Showcasing a collection of artworks and historical pieces, the exhibition highlights the Neo-Russian style that developed during the reigns of Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors can explore applied arts, portraits, court costumes and imperial gifts that reflect the grandeur of Imperial Russia. Among the highlights are a silver presentation dish given to Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna by oilmen of the Absheron Peninsula in 1888, and a silver saltcellar presented to Emperor Nicholas II after his Eastern journey in 1890–1891. Also on display are a lace fan once owned by Empress Maria Feodorovna, a portrait by Sofya Yunker-Kramskaya, and elaborate masquerade costumes worn by members of the Russian aristocracy, including a grand costume worn by Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna at the 1903 Winter Palace masquerade. Jamal Hassan al Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, described the exhibition as a cornerstone of Oman-Russia cultural cooperation and part of ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with Russian institutions. He said the museum plans further collaborations, including musical seasons at Bayt Al Greiza, an exhibition on Omani fine art with the State Tretyakov Gallery, and Imperial Russia and the East in partnership with the Moscow Kremlin Museums. H E Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Ambassador of Russia to Oman, called the exhibition a strong example of cultural diplomacy and a bridge between two nations that share an appreciation for heritage. Professor Dr Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum and member of the National Museum's Board of Trustees, noted the historical importance of the pieces on display in a video address, adding that future joint initiatives include a new exhibition at the Oman Hall in St Petersburg. The Neo-Russian Style exhibition follows other successful joint projects under the Russian Seasons banner. Earlier this year, the National Museum hosted Gifts of the Emirs of Bukhara and Central Asia to the Russian Imperial Court. Meanwhile, the Oman Hall at the Hermitage has attracted strong interest, with its second major exhibition, 'The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa', drawing more than 414,000 visitors between December 2023 and January 2025.
Observer
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Observer
'Neo-Russian Style' exhibition opens at National Museum
MUSCAT: Within the frameworks of 'The Russian Seasons,' the National Museum inaugurated the 'Neo-Russian Style' exhibition hosted in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum, under the auspices of Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. The exhibition, which will run until November 2, 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 bin Hassan al Mousawi, 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 Greiza this coming October, as well as cooperation with the State Tretyakov Gallery to organise an exhibition on the pioneers of Omani fine art. Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Sultanate of Oman, in his speech said 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. 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. The Yusupov princes whose costumes will be on display at the exhibition were said to be incomparable organisers of masquerades and 'historical balls' in St Petersburg. — ONA
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
A sky train, a death rail, a station with no staff: 200 years on, trains have come a long way
The fastest commuter train in the world, in Shanghai, China, has no wheels; it uses magnetic levitation for a smoother, faster ride. The longest route in the world sits within just one country: Russia. It spans nearly 9,300 km. The world's highest railway station, part of the Qinghai-Tibet railway line built by China, sits more than 4,000 metres above sea level. Tucked amid the Himalayas, one of its stations is so remote, it has no staff at all. The air is so thin, passengers cannot alight. (Read on for more on this). Where else do the railways create a little bit of history every day? Take a tour. Largest rail network: USA The railroad was so pivotal in the US that towns lived and died by its proximity (until the roads took over, hurling themselves across the vast expanses with greater ease, and taking over where the trains had once ruled). Between the 1830s and 1850s, the reach of these tracks expanded so rapidly, it birthed a generation of rail barons — people who had invested in these ventures, and were now raking it in. It also birthed the Panic of 1873, as overextended banks and companies now facing a dip, took a tumble together. The tracks laid down still serve the country, though. The US has the largest rail network in the world: over 250,000 km of track. Today, this vast network is used overwhelmingly for freight, in a country where cars, private transportation and cheap oil take precedence. The longest line: The Trans-Siberian link, Russia This is a single line that essentially spans a continent. It reaches from Moscow in western Russia all the way to Vladivostok in the far east. It was built as a power move, by the Russian tsar Alexander III and his son and successor Nicholas II. But really, it was built, between 1891 and 1916, by generations of prisoners. To keep costs down, convicts were put to work on the project. Parts of it came to be nicknamed the Death Road because of its high toll. The model would be so successful that it would live on as Russia turned communist and Joseph Stalin took over. Dissenters, resistant landowners and political prisoners were sent to camps scattered across this vast land, to work on roads, canals, railroads and in mines. The horrors of this punishment, with many labourers never heard from again, inspired Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's remarkable non-fiction work, The Gulag Archipelago, released in 1973, two decades after Stalin's death. The Trans-Siberian Railway remains the longest single rail link in the world, spanning nearly 9,300 km. The journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes up to eight days (depending on the route and rake), and passes through eight time zones. The world's busiest station: Shinjuku, Japan Serving over 3.5 million passengers a day, the Shinjuku station sits in Tokyo's busy business and entertainment district, linking the densely populated city and its suburbs, and connecting commuters with major hubs of bus transit and the airport. In an indication of its scale, the station has more than 200 exits. World's highest railway station: Tanggula, Tibet This unstaffed station is also the highest in the world, sitting 5,068 metres above sea level. Built by China as part of the Qinghai-Tibet line, the 'sky train', as it has been nicknamed, halts here for a few minutes, so that passengers can take in the breathtaking views. They cannot alight; the air is too thin. The train itself has an internal air-pressure system, and supplemental oxygen piped through it. Busiest railway system: India (With input from Vandana Dubey)
Telegraph
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Putin talks nuclear weapons and punching people over tea inside Moscow flat
Vladimir Putin said he 'hopes' Russia will not need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, as he drank tea with a journalist and discussed his desire to punch everyone on a tour of his Kremlin apartment. In a preview of an upcoming state TV film to mark his quarter century in power, the Russian leader claimed he was strong enough to finish the three-year war without relying on nuclear weapons. 'There has been no need to use those [nuclear] weapons ... and I hope they will not be required,' he said in response to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Kremlin soil. 'We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires.' In the first look inside his private Kremlin apartment, Putin gave state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin a brief tour of the rooms, which he said he has stayed in for most nights since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In one video clip, he is seen making tea for the journalist in a small kitchen as well as offering him chocolates and some Russian fermented milk. Looking back on his 25 years as Russian leader, the 72-year-old claimed that he doesn't 'feel like some kind of politician' and that he remains close to the concerns of ordinary people. 'I breathe the same air' 'I continue to breathe the very same air as millions of Russian citizens. It is very important. God willing that it continues as long as possible. And that it doesn't disappear,' he said. Asked whether he sometimes gets the urge to punch someone despite his 'cold-blooded and reserved' exterior, Putin answered: 'Always', adding: 'But I fight it'. Putin, a former KGB colonel, is the longest serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin, who was in power for 29 years until his death in 1953. His private life is highly secretive, and his decision to open his Kremlin home to journalists suggests an eagerness to present himself in a more personal light. As he begins the interview, Putin is seen opening the front door of the apartment to Mr Zarubin, quipping that 'Yes, this is the apartment, as you can see it's not far away.' His remark suggests that the location of the apartment is not far from the Kremlin itself, the fortified official seat of government in Moscow. Putin and his interviewer then move into a hallway area adorned with chandeliers and gold-framed mirrors, while a large portrait of Russian Emperor Alexander III is prominently placed on a mantelpiece. Ironically Alexander III, who ruled in the late 19th-century, was known as the 'Peacemaker' in Russia as he fought no major wars. Putin, meanwhile, is facing growing criticism from the Trump administration for obstructing US and Ukrainian efforts to strike a peace deal to end the war. The apartment's colour scheme is a mix of whites and golds, and is said to contain a library, a small church and two bedrooms as well as its kitchen. A white piano can also be seen in the footage and, when asked if he plays it, Putin says he rarely has the time to do so. Showing off his fridge at one point, he revealed he was a big fan of kefir, a fermented milk drink that is good for gut health. Putin is celebrating 25 years in power after he emerged as the victor of the March 2024 election, which is widely suspected to have been rigged. Putin secured 87 per cent of the vote. In the TV interview, he addressed the question of who should replace him as leader of Russia, but only in vague terms. 'I think that there should be a person, or rather several people, so that the people have a choice,' he said. It came as the Kremlin announced Putin would be signing a 'series of deals' next week with Chinese president Xi Jinping, during a three-day visit to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations. Moscow's famous Victory Day parade will be held under tight security on Red Square, with Russian soldiers who took part in the illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 expected to play a prominent role.
