14 December 2023 to 27 February 2024, the Martial Chamber of Tsarskoe Selo houses the exhibition History in Miniature showcasing several works from our Museum's collection and over fifty flat pewter figures by Vladimir Nuzhdin.
A Russian artist and engraver, Vladimir Nuzhdin is an internationally acclaimed master of flat pewter miniatures ranging from historical and military scenes to illustrations of literary works. He won over twenty awards at international competitions in Russia, Germany, France, Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Italy. His accolades include 'Europe's Best Engraver' in 1996. Works by Vladimir Nuzhdin are presented in the collections of Tsarskoe Selo, the State Hermitage, the Suvorov Memorial Museum, the Dresden State Art Collections, the German Museum of Pewter Figures at Plassenburg Castle in Kulmbach, as well as in private collections in Russia and other countries.
Our visitors will appreciate the craftsmanship of Nizhdin's miniatures Archangel Michael and Empress Catherine II, as well as his adherence to the traditions of Nuremberg Zinnfiguren, pewter toy soldiers which have long become a collector's item because of their high casting quality thanks to painstakingly hand-made slate molds.
The miniatures from thesarskoe Selo collection include paintings, watercolours, and a bas-relief portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna by eighteenth-century walrus ivory carvers from Arkhangelsk.
The exhibition also demonstrates various tools and techniques used in making pewter miniatures. Modern miniatures continue and develop traditions of old masters, combining detailing and laconic forms. Despite their small size, the miniatures embody complex plots and images, revealing the highest skills of their makers.
Exhibition is included in admission to our WWI Museum