Monuments of Armenian Art from the Hermitage Collection

On 4 December, 2001, a small exhibition was opened in the Apollo Hall of the Winter Palace introducing the key aspects of the Armenian people's spiritual heritage. 2001 is a festive date in the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church marking the 1700th anniversary of the official adoption of Christianity by Armenia. Many cities of the world including St. Petersburg have taken part in celebrating the Church's jubilee with their cultural or scientific programs. The State Hermitage Museum celebrated the event by two exhibitions: the first took place in the beginning of 2000 and featured objects from the collection of Holy Patriarchal Echmiadzin, the current one represents the Hermitage's own collection.

The place of honor in the exhibit is given to the Skevr Reliquary, a masterpiece of chiseled silver executed in 1293 by the commission of the Father Superior of the Skevr Cloister of Constantin (Cilician Armenia).

The exhibition includes manuscripts of the 13th to 17th centuries with miniatures made at various centers within and without Armenia, in Crimea, Genoa (Italy) and Amasia (modern Turkey), and monuments of the 14th century, hachkar ("cross stone") relief and carved wooden doors. Artifacts commemorating Russian-Armenian contacts of the 19th century are connected with the Emperor Alexander II and Catholicos Gevorg IV: donation decree, golden pendant with the relics of St. George (exhibited for the first time) and illuminated Gospels. A booklet with color images of all the displayed objects has been prepared for the exhibition by Alvida S. Mirzoyan, Senior Researcher of the Eastern Department. Information sponsor of the exhibition is the independent international newspaper Empire of Art.

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Mikhail B. Piotrovsky, Director of the Hermitage, and Ruben K. Akopyan, Consul General of Armenia, at the exhibition opening

At the exhibition opening

Exhibition booklet