The city of Cherepovets, located on the banks of the northern Sheksna River, is part of the Vologda Oblast. It is not the oldest city in our country, but it is known as a large industrial center, which received urban status in the XVIII century, during the reign of Empress Catherine II.
Located on the Volga-Baltic, one of the most popular shipping routes, the city has become a place frequented by tourists. One of the sights worthy of the attention of guests of the city is the Cherepovets Art Museum, whose address is Sovetsky Prospekt, 30A.
Museum Description
The museum was separated from the structure of local history in 1938, and in 1957 it was allocated a very modest-sized room on Lenin Street for exhibitions of art collections, where the museum was located until 1992. Today, the Cherepovets Art Museum, whose photo you can see below, occupies a two-story building on Sovetsky Prospekt.
Permanent expositions are located in two exhibition halls with an area of 1000 square meters: “Russian Orthodox art of the XIV-XIX centuries”, “Russian art of the XVIII-XX centuries”, “Creativity of the peoples of the Vologda Territory”.
Russian and West European exposure
Many tourists who first visited the Art Museum of the city of Cherepovets are surprised how they managed to collect the paintings of the great Russian masters in a small provincial exhibition. Here are the works of the most prominent representatives of classicism Rokotov, Petrovsky and Bryullov, the modernist Kustodiev and the realist Repin.
The canvas of Petrovsky, one of the great talented and beloved students of the great Bryullov, “The Appearance of an Angel to Shepherds,” was awarded the gold medal of the Russian Academy of Arts in 1839. The collection of paintings by foreign painters is much smaller. In the Art Museum of Cherepovets it is represented by the works of Jean Monnier and Johann Lampi.
The exposition is harmoniously complemented by products from bronze, glass, and porcelain from the end of the 18th century. The huge interest of visitors is the collection of musical mechanical instruments. For example, a polyphon cabinet, which was made in the 19th century at the famous factory of G. Yu. Zimmermann, pleases visitors with an unpretentious melody today.
Orthodox art
The exposition “Orthodox Art of Russia of the XIV-XX Centuries” includes unique ancient icons, handwritten and printed liturgical books, sewing patterns. The treasure and main property of the museum is the oldest icon of St. Nicholas, which, according to experts, refers to the XIV century. In our country, there are only a few such images preserved.
Among the many exhibits of the Art Museum of Cherepovets here are presented the 16th century icons from the Goritsky monastery: “The Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos”, “The Icon of the Martyr Mina with the Marks of Miracles”. Some unique icons from the museum’s collection were represented at exhibitions in Florence and Genoa, in Japan and the Vatican, in Cyprus, Russian spiritual culture.
The icons of a later time in the collection of the Cherepovets Art Museum deserve no less attention. All of them are written in a special tradition of the North Russian school. Among the presented samples, there are registered ones, which is not at all characteristic of Russian icon painting, since at all times it was not so important who was the author of the image, it was much more important who was depicted on it. However, in the XVI century, these severities were somewhat mitigated, due to which the Cherepovets Art Museum today owns an icon, which is known for certain that it belongs to the brush of the famous master T. Ivanov, who became famous for the painting of the Armory in Moscow.
Folk art
The exposition of folk art of the Art Museum introduces visitors to the clothes and household items of peasants. Here are displayed spinning wheels and women's hats, embroidered with river (including Sheksninsky) pearls, sleighs, a collection of front-facing gold embroidery of the 17th century. Of particular note is the Shroud “The Position in the Tomb of Jesus Christ”.
Book collection
The first printed and manuscript books of the 15th-19th centuries represent the book collection of the Cherepovets Art Museum. Almost 400 samples are presented here, including those printed by "citizen" - the font introduced by Peter I.
Exhibition of the book collection of the Kirillo-Novoyezersky Monastery
Almost a thousand books and other items from the Kirillo-Novoyezersky monastery have been carefully stored in the collections of the Cherepovets Museum since 1928. Previously, only the most valuable exhibits were presented. But more recently, an interesting exhibition was held in the museum.
Of particular interest to visitors was the library of Archimandrite Theophanes, who served as rector of the monastery until 1829. This unique collection amazes even specialists with a variety of topics and the highest scientific level. Here are publications on Chinese philosophy and history, liturgical books and rare travel notes, a children's encyclopedia, textbooks, and even a description of Captain Cook's travels. Among rarities are publications in silver and gold frames, decorated with carvings and relief patterns.
At the exhibition, each showcase is a block reflecting a certain period of printing. Here you can see the rarest and extraordinary book of the monastery. This is a certain document in which the depositors of the monastery are indicated, including representatives of the boyar and princely families. They replenished the library of the monastery, contributed money, valuables to the church treasury.
In our country, extra books have been preserved very little. The book presented in the museum began to be compiled at the end of the 17th century and was maintained until the middle of the 19th century. The first entry in it dates back to 1627, when the nobleman Polev made his contribution to the monastery. According to this book, it was possible to identify many items from museum funds. Among the first-printed books, Oktoih, dated 1594, should be highlighted.
Gallery
The museum does not yet have a very large gallery of contemporary art, which represents the work of both Cherepovets artists and painters from other regions of Russia. It regularly hosts exhibitions of talented students from the local university (graphic arts department) and the art school.
Museum branches
The Cherepovets Museum has branches that anyone who is interested in Russian wooden architecture can visit. These are open-air museums where you can see the stunning Assumption temple located in the village of Nelaz, and the church in the name of St. Nicholas, located in the village of Dmitrievo. Both of them are skillfully made of wood. These structures were built at the end of the XVII century.
The unique design and construction features and the interior decoration of churches make it possible to appreciate the greatness and grace of the masterpieces of Russian church architecture.
The museum of Cherepovets offers guided tours by an experienced guide. True, a preliminary appointment for excursion service is required. Phone of the Art Museum of Cherepovets: (8202) 51-75-25. He can also be found on his official website. The administrator will answer all your questions and set the date and time of the tour.
Visitors reviews
Many guests of the city admit that they discovered this museum by chance, when they were in the city on a business trip or travel. The exposition made a huge impression. Such a collection of unique exhibits cannot always be found in larger museums. Many visitors express their gratitude to the staff of this institution for their professionalism, attention to guests and dedication.