Description of the attraction
The Crystal Museum is located in the St. George Cathedral in the city of Gus-Khrustalny. The museum is the city's most striking landmark.
St. George's Cathedral, which houses the museum, is an architectural monument of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was erected in 1892-1895 in the pseudo-Russian style according to the project of L. N. Benoit. The architect himself considered this temple one of his best creations. The building was a three-nave basilica with a high middle nave and low side naves. The bell tower was crowned with a light and elegant tent, raised to 45 meters. The middle tent was associated with the smaller side ones. The three-hipped composition was aligned with the three chapters on the east side of the building.
The bell tower has not survived to this day. The restorers did not restore it. But her old photographs evoke the images of Yaroslavl architecture of the 17th century. L. N. Benois managed to create an exceptional example of the primordially "Russian style". In his work, the architect combined the best traditions of Russian and Western European culture.
The interior of St. George's Cathedral was no less impressive. The decoration of the church inside was already done by the well-known V. M. Vasnetsov. For the St. George Cathedral he painted five paintings. To date, only two works of the great master have survived: the large canvas "The Last Judgment", which has an area of 49 square meters. m and his mosaic entitled "About you rejoices, Blessed …". The mosaic is made of small pieces of colored glass and adorns the altar of the cathedral.
As a functioning church, St. George's Cathedral did not last long. After the revolutionary events of 1917, it was closed, and for a long time this building was occupied by public organizations. Only in 1970 did the state take the cathedral under its protection. For 11 long years, restoration has been going on here. Upon its completion in 1983, the Crystal Museum was opened in the cathedral.
The museum's exposition is based on products from the model room located at the crystal factory. In the model room from the first days of the plant's existence, samples of crystal and glass products were collected, which were produced by the famous plant. In the museum, you can get acquainted with the mass production of the crystal factory, and with unique works of authorship.
In the early days of its existence, the plant produced products from ordinary potash glass, decorating them using engraving. At the beginning of the 19th century, real lead crystal appeared, which was glass containing lead oxide, which gives crystal products a metallic luster. Pure crystal is extremely melodious. Even with a light breath on a thin crystal glass, it is capable of ringing with a “crimson” melodic ringing. Diamond craftsmen, by combining various combinations of faces, create a diamond pattern on crystal items.
The crystal work of the 18th century is amazing. In the museum you can see heavy crystal decanters, wine glasses with deep diamond facets, damask decorated with gold ornaments. Glass of the 19th century is extremely diverse. Lead crystal, perfected with a rich diamond facet. Talented craftsmen knew how to catch a ray of the sun and make it sparkle in the crystal. The finest airy patterned glass is presented here.
In the middle of the 19th century, glass appeared that imitated silver and gold. It is presented in the form of products in the oriental style, kumgans, hookahs. Unique multi-layer vases, bottles, created on the basis of the famous French artist E. Galle, with muted blue-violet and "painted" golden-brown landscapes that date back to the early 20th century.
The glory of Gus-Khrustalny, as a large crystal production, has stepped far beyond the borders of Russia. The extraordinary art and talent of the Gusev masters were awarded Gold medals at exhibitions in Vienna, Paris, Chicago.
The Soviet period of the plant's activity is also widely represented in the museum. Products of the 1920s, decorated with simple engraving and painting with colored paints, are laconic and simple in form. New plots of drawings on crystal have a thematic character, various events from the history of the Soviet country were reflected here.
In the 1970s, the plant produced only crystal products. The products of that time represented the "kingdom" of colorless and colored crystal and diamond facets.
At present, the museum collection continues to be replenished with new unique exhibits - the works of the artists of the goose-crystal factory. In most of their works, they glorify the beauty of the Meshchera region.
