‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’ exhibition is held at the Moscow Kremlin Museums

Director-general of the Moscow Kremlin Museums E.Yu. Gagarina at the grand opening of the exhibition ‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’
Director of the Department of the Museums and External Relations of the Ministry of Culture of Russia A.N. Voronko reading out the greeting from the Russian Minister of Culture O.B. Lyubimova
Patron and collector M.Yu. Karisalov
Director-general of the Moscow Kremlin Museums E.Yu. Gagarina at the grand opening of the exhibition ‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’
Keeper of the porcelain and glass collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, curator of the exhibition ‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’ I.V. Gorbatova
Guests of the exhibition ‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’

On 14 April, the ‘Kremlin Service. Gift of the Karisalov Family’ exhibition opening took place in the state anteroom of the Armoury Chamber.

Thanks to Mikhail and Elena Karisalovs, a part of the Kremlin Service has returned to the Museum collection. It is the first ceremonial service in Russian historical style, which was made at the Imperial Porcelain Factory in Saint Petersburg in 1837-1839.

"It is not the first donation to our Museum, but these works were made especially for the Grand Kremlin Palace and are the pride of our collection," marked Elena Gagarina, director-general of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

Alexander Voronko, director of the Department of the Museums and External Relations of the Ministry of Culture of Russia read out the greeting from the Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, "Refined pieces bring us back to spiritual and moral roots, reveal all the richness of historical and artistic artefacts, which inspired the author of the Kremlin Service during his trips around the country. I’m sure this display will leave no one indifferent." A.N. Voronko also thanked the Museum’s administration for the opportunity to admire treasures connected to Russian history.

Patron and collector M.Yu. Karisalov greeted the guests of the show and expressed gratitude to the Museum staff for their contribution to cultural development. "We can summon ‘our’ works," he said.

The service was created after the design of Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev – an eminent graphic artist and researcher of Old Russian art.

"The Kremlin Service is an atmosphere service, a feeling of what the whole world envied – the extraordinary beauty, exceptional luxury and incredible richness of the Russian gala feast," shared with the audience the keeper of the porcelain and glass collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, curator of the exhibition Irina Gorbatova.

When creating the service décor, F.G. Solntsev was inspired by the 17th-century pieces of art, among which were the plate of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich and the ewer and basin set belonging to his wife Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina – the author sought for recreating a ceremonial decoration of medieval royal dinners. This sublime porcelain set was used at coronation dinners held in the Faceted Chamber.

The display is on till 25 May 2022.