18 January 2022

Permanent exhibition about Peter the Great’s era opens in the Hermitage with Gazprom’s support

The Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee Alexey Miller and Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage Museum, opened the “Peter the Great Gallery” in St. Petersburg on January 14. This gallery is the first component of a permanent museum exhibition called “Russian culture in the first half of the 18th century”.

The exposition celebrates 350 years since the birth of Peter the Great. The exhibits will be featured in 11 halls of the outyard part of the Winter Palace. The main themes are Russian art, culture and history during the times of Peter I and his daughter, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, who continued the work of the first Russian emperor. Gazprom is the exhibition’s general sponsor.

Three exhibition halls are currently open to visitors.

The first hall is dedicated to the victory of Russian troops, under the command of Peter I, over the Swedish army in the Great Northern War. Included among the key exhibits are the painting “Battle of Poltava” by French artist Louis Caravaque and one of the iconic trophies from the battle - the saddle of King Charles XII. The hall also features a model of the Pillar of Triumph, which was created by architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli for one of the squares in St. Petersburg.

The second hall features paintings and sculptures of the Russian emperor, members of his family and ideological allies.

The third hall brings together unique exhibits from Peter the Great’s personal collection, as well as objects that were kept in his memorial office in the Winter Palace. This includes clothes and various objects that were made by Peter I himself in his palace workshop, as well as artworks, scientific instruments and tools that he brought back from his travels across Russia and Europe.

Another eight exhibition halls will open in 2022. There visitors will see the emperor’s machine and lathe instruments, furniture, everyday objects and decorations from the times of Peter the Great and those that followed.

“We have stepped into 2022, the year that marks the 350th anniversary since the birth of the first Russian Emperor, Peter the Great. He considered his life mission to be the establishment of Russia as a leading world power, the creation of an empire. And he did that, during his lifetime. Peter I gave all his energy and efforts to this mission. He had true passion. The time of Peter I left a big mark on the art and culture of the country and today we are opening the first part of the permanent exhibition “Russian culture in the first half of the 18th century” - the “Peter the Great Gallery”. It is very symbolic that we launch the anniversary celebrations, which will be held across the entire country this year, right here in St. Petersburg - Peter the Great’s brainchild, the capital of the Russian Empire - in its treasury, the Hermitage.”

Chairman of the Management Committee, PJSC Gazprom
Alexey Miller

“We solemnly announce, together with Gazprom, the launch of a large Hermitage program dedicated to Peter the Great. Peter I’s anniversary is very important for the whole country, especially for St. Petersburg and the Hermitage. We keep his things, we keep his spirit and the memory of him alive. Peter the Great is an eternal figure. He is the founder of an Empire. The hall in which we are now, the Rotonda, is also dedicated to this historic period. We are grateful to Peter I for many reasons. He is the founder of St. Petersburg, that goes without mention. He is the founder of Russian collecting - it was him who brought the Venus Tauride and the first Rembrandt painting to Russia. He laid the foundations for museums with the first Russian museum, the Kunstkamera. We continue his work and will celebrate the first Russian emperor throughout the year during special Peter-linked holidays. Today we solemnly open the first halls of the “Peter the Great Gallery”. The rest will be opened by the end of 2022. I thank Gazprom for being our partner and the sponsor of this particular project.”

Director of the Hermitage Museum
Mikhail Piotrovsky