Russian Switzerland
This exhibition takes place in the Musée des Suisses dans la Monde within the magnificent Domaine de Penthes in Geneva, from the 17th of December 2014 to the 22nd of March 2015.
“The Bicentenary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Russia is presented through an exceptional selection of historical documents and works by Russian artists. Two hundred years ago, tsarist Russia and the Swiss Confederation established diplomatic relations. Whether by their geography, culture, history or political regime, it seems the two countries were different in every way. With the Congress of Vienna looming and the impending changes it would bring, Switzerland was in need of an ally, both powerful and remote, which could protect it once and for all from its greedy neighbours. And Czar Alexander I could see the advantages in preserving the independence and neutrality of Switzerland in this new Europe. Diplomatic relations between Russia and Switzerland evolved with the ebbs and flows of history, but the citizens of both countries kept nurturing an interest in each other’s culture. Aristocrats, painters, poets and writers, anarchists and communists, students, religious and political refugees… many Russians sought asylum and found a new home in Switzerland over the years.
The exhibition at the Museum of the Swiss abroad evidences the multiple ties that bind the two countries. These Russian perspectives on Switzerland are fascinating for two reasons: they show the cultural, social and political evolution of Russia throughout these centuries, and, like a specular image, the history of Switzerland and how it was perceived from abroad.
350 years of Art and History
Send from the most prestigious institutions of Russia, historical documents present the strong and lasting diplomatic ties that exist between the two countries since 1814. A selection of over thirty paintings is exhibited, including the artists Clodt von Jürgensburg, Olga Della Vos kardovskaya, Mikhaïl Erassi, Maxime Vorobiev, Alexandre Calame, Ivan Shishkin, Boris Grigoriev, Feodor Matveev, Gerhardt von Reutern, Marianne von Verefkin, Alexey von Jawlensky, Login Frikke and Zinaïda Serebriakova. Along with them, items from the permanent exhibition are emphasized in aim to show the deeds of Swiss citizens in Russia before 1814. On the other side of the time-line, an outstanding selection of works of art coming from public and private collections in Geneva presents the evolution of artistic movements from the end of the 19th century to nowadays.”
Our clients wishing more information about this event are welcome to contact our communication department, which will be pleased to help you.
We wish you a pleasant visit