THE PARTNERS
On one side: an Italian business concern; on the other: a state institution.
ColomboStile is a company out of the ordinary, stylistically eclectic,
whose creations are found in prestigious settings, from the newly
renovated Kremlin to private villas, from state embassies to the finest
hotels - a company whose success is built on the quality of its production
methods.
The State Historical Museum of Russia, in Moscow, is a place of culture,
an institution par excellence, with a formidable historic background;
its main entrance opens on the Red Square, and its storerooms preserve
countless hidden treasures. After years of isolation, the Museum is
opening to new international opportunities.
The State Historical Museum, an institute renowned for its excellence,
was founded in 1872 by decree of emperor Alexander II, with the
name of “Russian State Imperial Museum”. It houses Russia's largest
collection of historical and artistic artefacts. It was opened in 1883 to
mark the coronation of the emperor Alexander III, whose name it bore
until the revolution of 1917. Today, the museum actively cooperates
not only with Russian museums and those of the former-Soviet Union
countries, but also with many major museums around the world.
THE PLACES
Meda, the production capital of Italian furniture, where skilled craft-
smen still create wonderful artefacts; Moscow, where the museums are
full of undiscovered works and where there is a strong desire to share
Russian art and traditions with the rest of the world.
A COMMON PROJECT
The objective is to promote a project that is both cultural and
commercial. It might be considered a wager - an attempt at doing
business and working for culture at the same time.
THE OUTCOME
An elaborate and wide-ranging cooperation agreement, involving a
number of projects.
Among the initial results of the agreement:
the presentation of 32 faithful replicas of items of furniture used by
the Russian nobles;
an important exhibition held at the State Historical Museum;
a synergetic communication event, showcasing Italian furniture craft
in Moscow and internationally promoting Russian culture.
This project was created on the developments of a previous initiative
carried out by ColomboStile in Moscow, called “Precious Furnishing,
Past and Present”.
PROJECT HISTORY
The following is a brief overview of the motivations and the events
that led to the development of the project.
In 2001, ColomboStile promoted an important event in Moscow, with
the cooperation of the All-Russian Museum of Applied and Folk Art
and the Moscow-based association Club Lady Leader, which works to
support international programmes promoting Russian culture.
The project was also sponsored by the Museum of History.
After a careful selection, the promoters chose 30 important pieces of
TSAR
10
A PROJECT BY COLOMBOSTILE
AND THE STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM