History and culture: The exhibition of ancient weapons from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum opened in Kerch

September 1, 2014 in the Kerch Historical and Cultural Reserve is opened the exhibition "In fight, tournament, hunt. Ancient weapons from the Hermitage", which features over 100 exhibits.

History of the Kerch Historical and Cultural Reserve is inextricably linked with the State Hermitage Museum. In the year of the 250th anniversary the Hermitage residents and guests of Kerch were presented an exhibition from the collection of the most famous museum in Russia.

The exhibition will introduce visitors to the unique types of weapons, for many years stored in the Hermitage.

Its exhibits provide an opportunity to assess the contribution made by Western European masters in the art of the development of weapons, as well as to demonstrate the best examples of their technical excellence and rich artistic decoration. These items are long since lost its practical purpose, but their dignity convincing evidence of the talent and skill of their creators.

The collection was started by Grand Prince Nikolai Pavlovich (later Emperor Nicholas I). The rapid expansion of the collection took place thanks to the trophies, numerous purchases at Western auctions in France, Germany, Switzerland, as well as sales of private historical and artistic collections. By the early 30's the collection has grown so much that it was built by placing a special building in Tsarskoye Selo.

One way to enrich was gifts from heads of state, diplomats, collectors of antiquity, gunsmiths, who knew about the partiality of the Russian Emperor to an ancient weapon. In 40-60s to Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal were joined private collections by D. P. Tatischev, princes Saltykov, A. Orlowski and other collectors. The composition of Arsenal was Mikhail’s private collection; and is luxuriously furnished with oriental weapons and horse trappings have been reported there as gifts from the Shah of Persia, the Sultan of Turkey and the rulers of the Central Asian states. In 1885 during the reign of Alexander III the collection of the Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal was moved to the Hermitage, where he remains to this day.

This exhibition is based on the materials of this collection, including Western European arms of the XV - XVII century, defensive, cold and fire is of considerable interest.