Russian Eighteen-Century Furniture In The Hermitage Collection

This publication is devoted to the collection of 18th-century Russian furniture in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the largest collection in Russia, both in terms of the number of pieces it contains and the variety of structural and decorative design concepts.

The earliest pieces date from the reign of Peter I, when Russian furniture making was just beginning to develop in line with fashionable European trends; the furniture from the mid-18th century clearly shows that the Baroque fantasy style was reflected in palace interiors; the reign of Catherine II marks the peak of Russian furniture making. The largest workshops were located in St. Petersburg and the furniture they produced struck contemporaries not only with its original design in the fashionable European spirit, but also with its high quality of workmanship.