Description of the attraction
The State Museum of Artistic Culture of the Novgorod Land was founded in 2002 in Veliky Novgorod. The museum is located on the territory of the Desyatin Monastery, which is an architectural monument of the XIV century. In 1170, during the famous battle between Novgorod and Suzdal, the miraculous icon "Sign" was brought to this place, according to legend, it saved Novgorod. The monastery was founded in 1327.
In 1994, the Regional Training and Production Center for Artistic Creativity was created. In the spring of 2002, the center received the status of the State Museum. The founder of the opening of the museum is Galina Viktorovna Gavrilova, who became its first director. From 1994 to 2002, the Center for Artistic Creativity carried out a huge practical and organizational work to find talented masters and artists who are passionate about all kinds of art on the territory of the Novgorod region and to attract craftsmen to exhibition activities. The level of exhibiting meets the high world museum requirements and traditions.
The museum has a wide range of works by specialists in decorative and applied arts and Novgorod painters of the late 19th - early 21st centuries. Each of them has its own unique style, its own special manner of work. Works and creations of fine art are executed in different techniques: graphics (pastel, watercolor, pencil drawing, linocut, etching, etc.), painting. The works were created by talented masters of Novgorod, participants and laureates of international exhibitions and competitions, folk and honored artists of Russia. Decorative and applied art attracts attention. Excellent batik and tapestries, products made of fabric, crystal, ceramics, lacquer miniatures, porcelain and glass, in which the tradition of the factories of the Kuznetsov family is continued.
The museum funds contain about 5,000 exhibits, including: painting, graphics, medal art, sculpture, porcelain, glass. There are also personal archives of the authors, where are presented: documents of public and service activities, creative materials, biographical documents, correspondence, photographic materials.
The State Museum collects, stores, studies and positions contemporary art of the Novgorod land. By tradition, the artists themselves, as well as their heirs, donate works of art to the museum.
An unusual exhibit of the museum is the Church of the Assumption, which is located on the Volotovo field, not far from Veliky Novgorod. The first Novgorod chronicle says that the church was built by order of Archbishop Moses in 1352. Ten years later, the temple was painted. The walls of the church were decorated with almost 200 compositions. During the Second World War, the temple was destroyed. The outlines of the walls and pillars from two to four meters in height have been preserved. Russia and Germany in 2001 sign an Agreement on the provision of gratuitous assistance in the restoration of the temple and its frescoes. The restoration of the rare monument was carried out in 2001-2003. Plots of ancient painting have been preserved on the walls.
The museum is famous not only on the territory of our state, but also beyond its borders. Anyone who is interested in Novgorod art can attend master classes and meet artists. Thematic classes for children, "exhibitions of one picture", field exhibitions, excursions for residents and guests of the city, educational programs and other events are regularly held.
