Kremlin Dedicates Exhibition To Art Academician Fyodor Solntsev

The exhibition that opens today in the main lobby of the Kremlin Armoury is dedicated to the 200th birthday of Fyodor Solntsev, an art academician, painter, archeologist, restorer and ancient Russian art expert. Solntsev was among the specialists decorating the interior of the Grand Kremlin Palace. He was the one responsible for designing the parquet, doors, carpets, plaster bas-reliefs, lamps and fireplace decorations. Beginning from 1836, Solntsev supervised restoration works in ancient parts of the Kremlin, including the temples of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, of the Resurrection of Lazar and of Our Saviour on Bor. One of the items displayed is the Kremlin Dinner Set, which is intended as the highlight of the exhibition. Designed by Solntsev, the set repeats the ornamental design of Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina's wash-stand and Alexei Mikhailovich's dinner-plate designed in 1667. Normally, the Kremlin Set graced the dinner table on solemn occasions like coronation events.