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Topic: Oranienbaum
This year marks 300th anniversary of Oranienbaum and preparations are already underway for the main celebrations to be held in September.
Restoration in the Chinese Palace includes the Glass Bead Salon, the walls of which consist of 12 panels dating from 1762-64, depicting fanciful scenes of birds, flowers and exotic landscapes. These scenes, surrounded by pink scrolls, leaves and other Rococo motifs, have been intricately embroidered and are set against a backdrop of shimmering white glass beads.
Their creators were Russian masters, headed by Frenchwoman Marie de Chelles. Over the centuries, some of the panels had deteriorated and demanded a number of repairs and restoration.
The responsibility for implementing the necessary restoration work fell to the Department of Scientific Restoration and Conservation of the State Hermitage. The laboratory staff coped with the task, and in December of last year restored the panels, which were later put on display at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The panels have recently been returned to Oranienbaum.
In addition to the restored Glass Beaded Salon, the anniversary of Oranienbaum will open the Hall of the Muses, and the Big Blue room antechambers of the Chinese Palace. Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit 10 rooms of the central building of the Grand Menshikov Palace.
Oranienbaum is currently under the administration of the Peterhof State Museum.
© Royal Russia. Updated 19 August, 2011. Originally posted on 3 August, 2011
Updated: Friday, 19 August 2011 1:50 PM EDT
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