a young Caterine as Grand Duchess in 1745
a golden family tree of the Romanovs
paintings of the Caterine the Great collection on display
the main exposition hall
this is why we are here, the Caterine the Great(est) exhibition
a later portrait from around 1778
her greatest lover, Grigory Potemkin
on her favorite stallion Giant
Caterina wearing the Imperial Crown of Russia
some other artefacts
the 2016 Catherine the Great(est) exposition in the Hermitage Amsterdam
The
Amstelhof sits at the eastern shore of the Amstel River in Amsterdam.
It was build in 1682 as a retirement home for old
ladies and later also old men.
In 2007 it closed its doors and, after a thorough renovation, Queen
Beatrix and then Russian President
Medvedev opened the building as a branch of the
Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.
From June 2016 till March 2017 it
features an exhibition on
Caterine the Great, the last Russian Tsarina who ruled from 1762 till her death in 1792. To do so
she had her husband
Peter III abdicated and murdered.
Under her rule the territory of the Russian Empire was extended, a.o with
Crimea.
Caterine was an ardent collector of art and filled the Hermitage with her priceless collection of paintings, sculptures
and other pieces of art.
Having visited St Petersburg just
a few months earlier we could easily make the connection.
the Amstelhof, now the Hermitage Amsterdam, as seen from across the Amstel
the courtyard features many sculptures, also from the Hermitage St Petersburg
a replica of the great Imperial Crown of Russia as used by Caterine at her coronation
all important Romanovs hang in the tree
two lovers
the unfortunate Tzar Peter III, Caterine led the revolt against him
