30 paintings from the life of Peter the Great

The exhibition “30 paintings from the life of Peter the Great” is taking place on the Field of Mars in Saint Petersburg. The project is a reconstruction of an exhibit that was held 150 years ago at the same location and is dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the first Russian emperor.

The last grand celebration of Peter the Great’s anniversary in Russia was held in 1872 and was initiated by Alexander II. One of the key events of the celebration was a public exhibition on the Field of Mars (Tsaritsyn Meadow at the time) in Saint Petersburg. Thirty enormous paintings represented the major deeds of the tsar-reformer in chronological order. The paintings were installed in pavilions designed to resemble traditional Russian wooden cottages and were accompanied with explanatory notes. The exhibition was a great success.

Fourteen original paintings from the 1872 exhibition were discovered in the State Russian Museum’s funds. They were digitally restored and will be exhibited in the form of outstanding quality canvas prints. The fate of the rest of the paintings is unknown. The honour to fill the gaps and create modern interpretations of the same historical subjects was granted to the students, alumni and professors of Saint-Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts.

The project has been brought to life by The Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, The State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts and PJSC Gazprom. Studio Show Consulting has been responsible for the scientific, artistic and technological development and execution of the project.