Sunday 02 / February / 2025
Muscat: As part of the celebrations marking forty years of diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation, the National Museum held a press conference today to inaugurate the "Russian Seasons" in the Sultanate of Oman.
This initiative is being organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the ANO "Russian Seasons".
Additionally, the Museum inaugurated the State Hermitage Museum’s Corner titled "Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court".
The event was attended by Olga Lyubimova, Russian Minister of Culture, along with senior officials, members of the press, and cultural and museum specialists.
During the conference, Jamal Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, presented a cultural and museum cooperation timeline between the National Museum and the Russian Federation.
While Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation highlighted the key activities and events of the "Russian Seasons" that will take place throughout the year in partnership with various institutions in the Sultanate of Oman.
These events will span different cultural fields, including theatre, music, and literature.
The Secretary-General of the National Museum, expressed his appreciation stating: “Today, we celebrate the inauguration of the "Russian Seasons" in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the opening of the second exhibition "Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court" at the National Museum in cooperation with the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. This event comes in an effort to enhance cultural exchange and introduce the civilisational heritage of both countries, which share historical relations that span centuries and are committed to strengthening these relations. This coincides with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance cultural diplomacy, with the National Museum—being a key institution representing Oman's historical and cultural dimensions—playing an active role in fostering these relations through collaboration with Russian cultural and museum institutions, particularly the Russian Ministry of Culture.”
He added: “The exhibition marks the second collaboration, following the success of the previous exhibition, which shed light on masterpieces of Islamic civilisation in Russia. This latest exhibition coincides with the ongoing "Oman Gallery" exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum, titled "The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa". This parallel exhibition, running until 16 February 2025, highlights the Omani Empire in Asia and Africa, underlining Oman’s historical role as a cultural and economic bridge between the Arabian Peninsula, West Asia, and the East African coast.”
On her turn, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, remarked “Holding the main international Russian project in the year of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is a significant and extremely important step in developing and strengthening the Russian-Omani cultural cooperation. Despite the rapid development of bilateral cooperation in various spheres of culture, it is our museums that remain its “flagships”. Their strong friendship is based on the common approach of Russia and Oman to the careful attitude to and preservation of the cultural and historical heritage, traditional values and spiritual wealth of our peoples.”
She further stated “It is therefore symbolic that the “Russian Seasons” in the Sultanate of Oman are opening with a museum project. Today we present the State Hermitage's Corner in the National Museum of Oman. The exhibition focuses on the strong long-standing ties between Russia and the peoples of the East, introducing the unique gifts of the Eastern rulers to the Russian imperial court. I hope that the "Russian Seasons" and an encounter with the best examples of Russian art will give memorable and vivid impressions to the residents and guests of the Sultanate of Oman.
Hosting the exhibition "Gifts from Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court" is part of the State Hermitage Museum's initiative that was launched in 2021. This second exhibition highlights a unique collection of luxurious artefacts crafted in Bukhara, Khiva, Khwarazm, and Kokand, which are brought as part of a long-term lending arrangement to the National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman from the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The State Hermitage Museum, originally founded as an Imperial museum, houses a significant collection of artefacts presented to the Russian Tsars as diplomatic gifts from Central Asian Emirates: Bukhara, Khiva, and Kokand.
The collection of gifts presented by Emirs from Bukhara and Khiva and sent to Saint Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire at the time, includes a fascinating variety of weapons, horse harnesses and trappings, personal ornaments and jewellery set with gemstones, silverware, carpets and tapestries, and textiles and embroideries.
Following diplomatic protocol, official visits always included a mutual exchange of gifts. Notable among these visits were those of Bukharan Emirs, including Sayyid Abd al-Ahad Khan (reigned 1885 –1910 CE) and Sayyid Mir Alim Khan (reigned 1911–1920 CE), as well as visits by the Khans of Khiva (former capital of Khwarazm) Muhammad Rahim Khan (reigned 1864–1910 CE) and Isfandiyar Khan (reigned 1910–1918 CE).
The artefacts displayed in this exhibition were presented by the rulers of Khiva and Bukhara and their delegations to the last two Russian Emperors, Alexander III (1881–1894 CE) and Nicholas II (1894–1917 CE). This prestigious collection of artefacts of high social status showcases the traditional decorative techniques and distinctive artistic trends characteristic of jewellery and weaponry-making in Central Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The event also featured a live musical performance by the Russian Berlin Quartet, followed by a screening of the documentary "al-Khanjar," produced by Russia Today Arabic (RT) in cooperation with the National Museum and the Ministry of Information in the Sultanate of Oman. The film takes viewers on a journey exploring the various styles of Omani khanjars across different regions of the Sultanate. It also follows the story of a remarkable khanjar belonging to Sultan Hamoud bin Mohammed al-Busaidi, Sultan of Zanzibar (1896–1902), which has been loaned from the National Museum in Muscat to the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. This unique khanjar is currently on display in the "Oman Gallery" exhibition within the renowned Russian Museum.
The "Russian Seasons" project is an International cultural project Russian Seasons under the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for the presentation of Russian culture abroad. Its mission is to present Russia as a country that carefully preserves and develops its rich cultural heritage and traditions. The themes and format of Russian Seasons are diverse: from classical music concerts and theater productions to film festivals, art exhibitions, educational projects, lectures and master classes. In total, more than (13) million viewers have attended Russian Seasons over the course of its existence.
The brand Russian Seasons appeared more than a hundred years ago, when in (1908) the famous artist Sergei Diaghilev started to organize performances of Russian opera and ballet stars in Europe and America, alongside with the fine arts exhibitions.
Meanwhile, the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world, housing a collection of over three million artefacts. Established in 1764, it is also one of the oldest museums globally and one of the most important tourist landmarks in Russia.
The museum is renowned for its vast complex, including the Winter Palace, a historical landmark in its own right. The museum's collection spans diverse cultures, featuring artworks from Eastern Europe, Russia, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Near and Far East, and Central Asia. It also houses an extensive numismatic collection covering antiquity to modern times, as well as weapons from Western Europe, the Middle East, and Russia, alongside numerous archaeological discoveries.
Each year, the museum welcomes approximately (5.3) million visitors. Its (500) exhibition galleries display over seventeen thousand paintings, (12.000) thousand sculptures, more than 1 million coins and medals, (800.000) archaeological artefacts, and over (360.000) applied arts objects. Additionally, the museum holds more than (600.000) graphic art pieces, making it one of the world's most significant cultural institutions.
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