PHOTO: Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, self portrait. 1920
from the Collection of the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

On 2nd April 2024, the State Russian Museum[1] in St. Petersburg, added 180 watercolours, painted by Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna (1882-1960) to their funds. The collection was handed over to the museum, by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, during a press conference, held at the Mikhailovsky Palace[1].

The paintings were donated to the museum in November of last year. The generous donation included an additional 46 items from the family of Emperor Alexander III, including drawings, icons, photographs, personal items and jewelry, all of which will be carefully studied by professional art historians of the State Russian Museum.

The collection was in the possession of Olga Nikolaevna Kulikovsky-Romanov (1926-2020), the third wife of Grand Duchess Olga’s eldest son, Tikhon Nicholaevich Kulikovsky (1917-1993). The donation to the museum was made possible thanks to the St. Catherine’s Charitable Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

The priceless collection by the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, and the younger sister of Emperor Nicholas II, included watercolours created in different years of the Grand Duchess’s life: Russian landscapes, family sketches, everyday scenes, bright still lifes and views of the places in which Olga Alexandrovna lived. Her works are represented on both canvas, as well as watercolour sketches in albums.

During her years in Russia, the Grand Duchess patronized the Imperial Society of Russian Watercolorists. Her watercolours were represented in exhibitions organized by the Kuindzhi Society of Artists, who helped to organize exhibitions of the works of young Russian artists.

During the First World War, Olga Alexandrovna opened the First Evgenievsky Hospital at her own expense, which was under the auspices of the Russian Red Cross. It was here, where she worked as a nurse, bandaging wounds, and cared for the wounded soldiers. Even at the front, the Grand Duchess devoted her free time to painting – her watercolors depict scenes in the hospital and portraits of officers. Selected sketches from this period are also included in the collection.

The art collection also includes photo albums of the Romanov family, personal objects and icons. Two of the icons were painted by the Grand Duchess for her son Tikhon, who later created the Foundation of Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, which provided humanitarian aid to Russia. His portrait by the Grand Duchess is also included in the collection.

For the first time in the history of the museum, the collection will be kept entirely in the custody of one specialist, rather than divided into specialized departments. The indivisibility of the collection is necessary for the study of the objects and their connection to in the Russian Imperial Family.

The State Russian Museum are already making plans to host an exhibition showcasing the collection of 180 watercolour by Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, plus the additional 46 items from the family of Emperor Alexander III. A date for the exhibition has yet to be announced.

NOTES”

[1] The State Russian Museum was officially opened on 19th [O.S. 7th] March 1898, as the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III, who was a connoisseur of Russian art. The museum was established in the Mikhailovsky Palace, a splendid Neoclassical residence of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich (1798-1849).

The museum was established on 13th April 1895, by order of Emperor Nicholas II to commemorate his father, Alexander III. Its original collection was composed of artworks taken from the Hermitage Museum, the Alexander Palace, and the Imperial Academy of Arts.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the museum and its collection were nationalized and renamed the State Russian Museum. Today, the museum is the world’s largest depository of Russian art with more than 400,000 items.

© Paul Gilbert. 9 April 2024