Cossacks in Service to the Tsar and Fatherland: From the 16th Century to 1917 is our major exhibition project of this year, showcasing over 800 artifacts from thirteen state museums and archives and six private collections in Russia.
Open 11am-7pm Friday to Wednesday from 11 July though 8 October, the exhibition on the middle floor of the Cameron Gallery in the Catherine Park covers the history and traditions of the Cossacks, their inextricable connection with the history of Russia and the defense of its borders, their participation in wars and discovering new lands, their civilian life, and the national and social composition of the Cossack troops.
After 2.5 years in preparation, the exhibitors represent Moscow, St Petersburg, Gatchina, Novocherkassk, Yekaterinburg, Orenburg and Khabarovsk—the cities of Russia where Cossack troops and their units were stationed for hundreds of years. A significant portion of the objects have never been exhibited or published before. The project is supported by the VELES Capital investment company and its CEO, Aleksey Gnedovsky, a philanthropist and Friend of Tsarskoe Selo. A very profound and informative exhibition catalogue is also available.
On display:
- Cossack weapons: sabres, shashka swords, daggers, pikes, cannons, uniforms, equipment
- Cossack regalia: breast badges, banners, ceremonial staves and maces, St. George's trumpets, award weapons, bratina drinking vessels and prize cups
- Household items and clothes of Cossack wives
- Sculptures, paintings, drawings, engravings, lithographs, prints, personal items, and rare photographs
- Plastoons in the Trebizond Operation, Spring 1916, a large diorama model demonstrating the events on the Caucasian Front of World War One (specially made for this exhibition)
- Vasily Surikov's sketches for The Conquest of Siberia by Yermak, a famous painting from the Russian Museum
Highlights:
- For the first time fully presented: Cossack uniforms of Tseraevich Alexei, the last ataman of all Cossack hosts and the son of Tsar Nicholas II (Tsarskoe Selo Collection and State Hermitage)
- Gun of Osip Gladky, the acting ataman of the Azov Cossack Host (St Petersburg's Artillery Museum)
- 18th-century award ladles for Cossack atamans and noble Cossacks, and award swords from Russian emperors and empresses (Moscow's State Historical Museum)
- Cossack children's toys (St Petersburg's Museum of Ethnography)
- Bratina bowl with cups of the Amur Cossack Regiment (Khabarovsk Region Museum)
- Jubilee banner of the 7th Orenburg Cossack Regiment (State Hermitage)