Art Nouveau during the Reign of the Last Tsars accompanies the Hermitage Museum's exhibition in Amsterdam of the vast collection of Art Nouveau objects bestowed on the Russian court as diplomatic gifts. France was particularly generous as part of its strategy to enlist the support of Russia in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. Gallé, the Daum brothers, Carl Fabergé and René Lalique are just a few of the artists acquired by the tsars and by wealthy private citizens. Buyers included Tsar Alexander III, Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, whose bedroom was decorated with vases by Gallé.
Providing a unique opportunity to discover examples of Art Nouveau objects that have previously been unseen, Art Nouveau during the Reign of the Last Tsars offers fascinating and original insights into a key artistic movement and is essential reading for all art enthusiasts.
Tamara Rappe is head of Western European Applied Arts at the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg; Elena Anisimova is the Curator of Glass at the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg; Natalya Guseva is the Curator for Furniture in the Russian department of the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg; Marina Lopato is the Curator of Jewellery in the Western European department of the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg; Frans Leidelmeijer is a specialist in twentieth-century applied art.
Published in association with the Hermitage Museum, Amsterdam