Translator’s note: During July 17 2004 EOctober 17 2004, Edo Tokyo Museum in Japan opened an exhibition called “Hermitage Museum - Glorious heritage of Ekaterina IIE This was the first time that the Hermitage Museum loaned more than one hundred items to any museum in Japan and the event was publicized by major media. The exhibition commemorated the 300 year anniversary of St Petersburg, showing a total of 127 items including paintings and jewelry of Ekaterina II.

Much of Japanese public was very surprised that the Russian government allowed the museum to loan important historical pieces including a huge item such as the golden coach of Ekaterina II, considering that Japan and Russia are still politically disputing over the so called Northern Island issue each year. Although no one can visit the exhibition any more, I thought it was a good idea to leave this record here, as the museum has already deactivated its link to the site from their homepage.

EDO TOKYO MUSEUM

Special Exhibition: Hermitage Museum EGlorious Heritage of Ekaterina II

Where:
Edo Tokyo Museum 1st floor
1-4-1, Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Home Page

When:
July 17 2004 EOctober 17 2004
Hours: 9:30 am to 5: 30 pm (8:00 pm on Thursday and Friday)

Ticket price:
1300 yen ($12 USD)
Student: 1040 yen ($9 USD)

Sponsored by: Tokyo History Culture Foundation, TBS, Mainichi Newspaper
Special assistance: Foreign ministry of Japan, Embassy of the Russian Federation, Hermitage Museum

Snapshot of the Exhibition website

Major items in the Exhibition

The golden coach of Ekaterina II (1793)
This was the favorite coach of Ekaterina II. It was made in St Peterburg in 1793. It was used in special ceremonies until the 20th century. In 1896, this coach was used in the coronation ceremony of Alexandra Feodorovna..

Plates.
This plate, which Ekaterina II ordered to Wedgewood company in 1773, is known as one of the three dinner services in the world. She commissioned this for Kekerekekusinensuki Palace. The palace had a Finland name "Flog's pond", so the plate has a interesting green flog sign. The whole dinner set consisted of 444 items, and contained 1222 kinds of pictures. The exhibition will display ten items from the dinner set.

Ekaterina II, by Vigirius Erikson 1762-1764.

Summer Palace.

A cigarette case with pictures of the grandchildren of Ekaterina II Lois cusan 1781-1789
This was made as a gift for Ekaterina II's grandchildren, Alexander and Constantine Pavlovich.

Cupid. 1703.

This painting was hung in a Hermitage room.

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