Cooperation with the Hermitage

Cooperation between the “Interros” group and the State Hermitage started on December 5, 1997 when Vladimir Potanin (on behalf of the UNEXIM Bank) and Mr.Piotrovsky (on behalf of the Hermitage) signed a General Agreement to join efforts in supporting Russian cultural heritage. At the same time the parties launched a project, which became known as the “Pages of the Hermitage history”.

In the fall of 1998 UNEXIM's commitments were taken over by the “Interros” Holding Company, which continued financing the “Pages of the Hermitage History” project. Hermitage employees developed a computer version of the “Pages of the Hermitage History” for Internet. The program is very popular in Russia and abroad. In 1998 the first part of the “Pages of the Hermitage History” won the first prize at an international competition of cultural and educational computer programs. In the near future the “Journal of the Hermitage Council” (1918-1919) will be published to open the Hermitage history series.

The “Interros” group and the Hermitage opened a new stage of cooperation by launching the “Greater Hermitage” project. The project is aimed at refurbishing the central historical part of St-Petersburg. The Hermitage intends to create a unique cultural center around the Palace Square to include new museum expositions, an entertainment center and a commercial center for the local community and tourists. The project will transform the Hermitage into a museum of the new millennium that will combine great artistic values with commercial entertainment and modern technology. The “Interros” Holding Company provides funds for setting up an Operational Project Bureau that will select a developer or a consortium of developers for the “Greater Hermitage” project. They face a highly complicated task, i.e. to set up in the General Staff Building a museum, which will simultaneously house the great art collections and the profit making cultural entertainment and hi-tech. Impressionist and Post-impressionistart collections, works by Picasso and Mattisse will be moved from the Winter Palace to the new exhibition space of the Hermitage. The audience will have its first encounter with the monumental masterpieces by Bonnard and Denis. The Institute of Costume will stage grand exhibitions of its historic costume and fabrics’ collection. Famous collections of china, arms, clocks and furniture will be exhibited in all their glamour. The Hermitage will get an opportunity to exhibit for prolonged periods of time the masterpieces of the XXth century from the world leading museums collections.

The novelty of this museum project, which was supported by UNESCO, is characterized by its financing scheme. The Hermitage does not put a stake on the budget sources: the project foresees a combination of investments and charity donations. The World Monuments Fund (UK) and the American Friends of the State Hermitage Museum (New York) financed the first stage of the project. The emergence of the “Interros” Holding Company in this group of the Hermitage partners, as stated by Mikhail Piotrovsky, is very significant: a support by a reputed Russian business is not only needed for its face value but it also helps to attract new sponsors from abroad.

Another substantial step in the implementation of the “Greater Hermitage” Project was an exhibition, financially supported by the “Interros”, titled “The Realms of the Eagle”, which opened in the General Staff Building in December 1999. Exhibits of applied art of the Empire period enlivened the building’s interiors, designed by famous architect Carlo Rossi in the 20ies of the XIXth century. At the beginning of the XIXth century this part of the building housed the apartment of the Russian Minister of foreign affairs Count Nesselrohde. Fortunately, the Empire décor of the rooms remained intact till our days. Numerous works of art of Alexander I and Napoleon I epoch were exhibited for the first time in the authentic historic interiors. Empire style is the art of glamour, solemn glorification of the power. The Eagle, which is a permanent element in the decoration of applied art exhibits, represents the symbol of power. Since Eagle was part of the state symbols of several European countries: Russia, France, Austro-HungarianEmpire and Prussia, Russian applied arts were exhibited in the context of pan-Europeanculture.

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