Russian culture abroad: Exhibition “At the Service of the Tsars” on history of Russian Imperial Guard launched in Paris

Presentation of the exhibition “At the Service of the Tsars”, dedicated to the history of the Russian Imperial Guard from Peter the Great to the October Revolution, kicked off on October 7 2010 at the Military Museum at the National Residence of Invalids in Paris. It has been organized within the framework of the Year of Russia-France.

The exhibition, organized by the French Museum jointly with the State Hermitage Museum, puts on show over 150 exceptional exhibits. Among them are pictures, uniforms, arms and pieces of art. The most part of exhibits are on loan from the Hermitage Museum and have never before left Russia.

The exhibition is called to tell about a close link between the history of Russian Imperial Guard and the history of the whole Russian State, as well as its role in political, public and cultural life of the country from 18th c. - beginning 20th c. The historical excursus does not limit itself to the tsarist Russia – exhibits from collections of the Army Museum in Paris and the Museum of His Majesty’s Lifeguards Cossack Regiment in Courbevoie (France) cast light on life of guardsmen after the revolution in emigration.

For public at large the exhibition will be open October 9 2010 - January 23 2011.