Exhibition Of Islamic Art Opens In Kazan

The exhibition of works of Islamic art from the depositories of the St. Petersburg State Hermitage (one of the greatest world art and cultural-historic museums) will open in Kazan (Tatarstan's capital) on Wednesday. Hermitage General Director Mikhail Piotrovsky will participate in the opening ceremony. The Hermitage has represented 145 works of Islamic art from its depositories and the State Museum of Tatarstan - more than 300. The exhibition "Jewelry of the Kazan Tatars of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries" will be the part of the exposition. Due to the links between Tatarstan and the Hermitage the exhibition "Treasures of the Golden Horde" was already held. It represented the collection of the Hermitage and the State Historic Museum (Moscow). The exhibition was one of the most memorable events in Kazan's cultural life in 2000. In addition, the Hermitage organized the exhibition of Scythian treasures "Treasures of Kubrat-khan". The Hermitage and the Kazan administration are expected to sign an agreement on long-term cooperation which implies, for instance, the foundation of a major Hermitage Centre in Kazan.