International events: Exhibition “Holland from Saint-Petersburg to Hague” opened the Year of the Netherlands in Russia

24 January 2013 in the State Museum of the History of Religion (Saint-Petersburg) opened the exhibition “Holland from Saint-Petersburg to Hague”.

The new mini-exhibition opens the series of the events arranged by the Museum to coincide with the Dutch-Russian Bilateral Year. The culmination of the Year will be the major autumn exhibition “The Dutch Art in the Museum of the History of Religion Collection” opening 25 October 2013.

Russia and Holland have intercultural experience for centuries. Towards the end of the 17th century Dutch-Russian cultural relations consolidated. It was Peter the Great who admired both the Dutch culture and its people’s way of life. Peter’s enthusiasm for Holland was exhaustingly reflected in the external architectural character and stylistics of the new Russian capital – Saint-Petersburg.

The exhibition houses paintings and engravings of the 18th century by the Russian and Dutch artists, rare books and photos from both the museum and private collections.

The first part of the exhibition is “Dutch” Petersburg. It features photos of the streets, buildings and monuments connected with the Dutch theme, i.e. the Summer Palace of Peter the Great, New Holland Island, spires of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Kunstkamera and Admiralty. Objects in the special case illustrate the history of the Dutch Reformed Church’s community, played a large part in surviving of the cultural relations of both countries.

The second part of the exhibition is dedicated to Holland and exploration of the Dutch-Russian relationships. Photos of the protestant churches are exhibited alongside the 18th century graphic portraits of Dutch people, who are famous and notable: Erasmus of Rotterdam and Benedict de Spinoza, Joannes Sylvius, Hermann Witsius and Johannes Cocceius and others. The exhibition displays photos of the Dutch researchers of the second part of the 20th century, who were specialized in Russian culture and history: Johannes de Graaf and Pastor Maria K. Jongeling, who were the partners of the State Museum of the History of Religion.