The famous Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg will open on the 28th of June 2007 a fascinating exhibition, presenting the rich collection assembled by the Empress Josephine at her chateau Malmaison.
Malmaison was for many years the country retreat of Empress Josephine, and she lived here together with her husband, Napoleon Bonaparte. This splendid chateau was decorated with care and taste, as the Empress chose many beautiful antique pieces of furniture, as well as art and decorations, slowly builnding an impressive and rather unique collection. Many of the works which she cherished - some of those have been chosen for the Hermitage exhibition - were actually gifts from Napoleon, who had acquired them during his military campaigns in Europe.
After the Empress' death, the bulk of the collection, mainly paintings and sculptures, was bought by Tsar Alexander I and later brought to St Petersburg, where it was installed in the Winter Palace. The exhibition at the Hermitage will be the first time when these works, many of them of great artistic quality, are brought together and presented to art lovers.
April 2007
