November 2011

Museum & Gallery at Heritage Green in Greenville, SC, Features Russian Works of Art

Most Americans can instantly identify key figures and symbols of modern Russia: the 1917 Communist Revolution, Marshal Stalin, the Cold War, and the Berlin Wall. The South Carolina Upstate has been invaded by Imperial Russia of old, as the Museum & Gallery at Heritage Green is presenting the exhibit, Rublev to Fabergé: The Journey of Russian Art and Culture, which vividly recreates the past 600 years of Eastern European history through a visually opulent display of Russian icons, on view through Jan. 2013.

Containing a unique combination of pre-revolutionary iconography and Fabergé craftsmanship, the exhibit is organized along a timeline that familiarizes its audience with a vast artistic tradition ranging from 14th-century born master, Andrei Rublev, to the introduction of Russian art in America circa 1930.

This fabulous exhibition features the apex of 15th-century Russian iconography represented by Andrei Rublev. As M&G curator John Nolan explains, “The name Rublev in Russian art history is comparable in weight and significance to Leonardo da Vinci in Western art history.” Rublev’s advances in compositional techniques and inventive artistic approach can be witnessed in M&G’s 15th-century panel, The Savior, as well as the accompanying 15th-century royal door panels, St. Stephen and St. Philip.

One particular jewel of M&G’s new exhibit is the craftsmanship of Carl Fabergé, known worldwide for his lavishly-jeweled Imperial Easter Eggs. According to M&G director, Erin Jones, “Fabergé is the most iconic name associated with Russian culture in the mind of the general American public.” From 1885–1917, the Fabergé firm produced 50 Imperial Eggs designed for the House of Romanov - only 42 survived the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.

M&G’s exhibition showcases Fabergé’s Imperial Red Cross Easter Egg, a unique creation since it is the only Imperial Egg with a painted Russian icon inside it.

Finally, M&G at Heritage Green presents Russia’s culture and traditions through dramatic environments on the second floor exhibit introducing the mind, heart, soul, and treasures of Russia; interactive displays, technology, and hands-on activities will engage every age in understanding the rich, tragic, and mysterious history of Russia.

M&G is delighted to present a truly unique opportunity for the residents of Greenville, the Upstate, and South Carolina - an astonishing panorama of 600 years of Russian iconography, art, and culture.

Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $3 for students. Children 12 and under attend free. Hours are, Tue.-Sat., 10am-5pm and Sun. 2-5pm.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at 864/770-1331 or visit (www.bjumg.org).

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