History and Culture: "New Year Overcomes the Planet" exhibition opened at the Museum of the History of Religion in Saint-Petersburg

The State Museum of the History of Religion (Saint-Petersburg) launched the "New Year Overcomes the Planet" exhibition, devoted to one of the most favourite holidays of all peoples of the world - the New Year and its celebration. Oriental popular prints, Nativity scenes and New Year's cards will create the festive mood.

The beginning of the New Year is usually associated with the key phases of the solar cycle: autumnal and vernal equinoxes, the winter solstice. Despite the significant difference in cultural traditions of different regions of the world, all people believe that the New Year is a time of renewal with specific symbols and rituals.

The exposition features Chinese New Year pictures of the early XX century, porcelain plates with underglaze painting on Christmas plots by the Hakefors and the Désirée factories, icons and paintings with Christmas scenes, European postcards of the early XX century, figurines of Japanese and Chinese gods, bringing happiness, long life and wealth. The main exhibit is a sculptural Nativity scene by Charles Pille's factory of the late XIX - early XX century.