Visitor Charged Over Damage to Emperor Paul I’s Artifacts at the Hermitage

The State Hermitage Museum has filed a lawsuit with the Kalininsky District Court of Saint Petersburg, demanding more than 800,000 rubles (about $10,300) in compensation from a museum visitor for damaging two valuable 18th-century artifacts. The court filing was reported by Daria Lebedeva, head of the city's unified press service for the courts.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Hermitage

Imperial Artifacts Linked to Emperor Paul I

The lawsuit concerns a ceremonial throne of the Grand Master of the Maltese Order and a carved, gilded footstool upholstered in crimson velvet-both historical items that belonged to Emperor Paul I. According to the museum's account, the damage occurred after Saint Petersburg resident Alexander Drobyshev violated visitor rules during a March 21, 2025 visit.

'He Sat on the Throne and Put His Feet on the Footstool'

In her statement, Lebedeva said the visitor deliberately sat on the rare throne displayed in Hall No. 172 and then placed his feet on the accompanying footstool, causing what she described as significant harm to the collection.

"Deformation of the throne's seat, cuts and tearing of the velvet fabric on the seat, as well as cracks and tears in the velvet upholstery of the footstool,” the report stated.

The Hermitage estimated the cost of restoration at 825,813.59 rubles and is also seeking reimbursement of 21,516 rubles for state duties. The museum emphasized that Drobyshev failed to respond to its pre-trial claims.

Attempted Selfie Led to Confrontation

The publication Moyka 78 reported that the 59-year-old visitor attempted to take a selfie on the throne, which was placed behind a rope barrier. A museum attendant immediately approached to warn him, but he reacted aggressively and stepped with both feet onto the footstool. Security officers from the National Guard detained him shortly afterward.

A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for January 26, 2026.