EXHIBITION «GREAT EMPERORS OF EUROPE: NAPOLEON I AND ALEXANDER I»
The exhibition «Great Emperors of Europe: Napoleon I and Alexander I» opened on October 18, 2000 in the State Historical Museum (http://www.shm.ru/). This exhibition tells us about life and work of two historical personalities who were prominent on a world scale: Napoleon I (1769-1821) and Alexander I (1777-1825).
A rare, one might say unique, exposition was presented to the general public. Many famous Russian museums and depositiories, such as the State Historical Museum, the State historical amd cultural museum «Moscow Kremlin», the State Archive of the Russian Federation, the State Borodino military-historical museum were involved in its creation. It was considerably enriched by a common exposition from two of the most famous museums of France: the Museum of the Army (Hotel des Invalides) and the Museum Carnavalet (Museum of the History of Paris).
The abundance of rarities is stunning! There is furniture from the modest interior of the room of the lieutenant of artillery Napoleone di Bounaparte; Napoleon's ceremonial officer's saber, presented to the Russian general, Count Pavel Andreevich Shuvalov; authentic articles of clothing belonging to both emperors; awards, seals, letters; even a legendary hat which Napoleon Bonaparte wore during the Russian campaign of 1812; and many, many other things about which it is enough to speak, but which all cultured people should see for themselves.
Detailed information about the time and schedule of the exhibition, its exhibits and its organizers, can be found on the site of the State Historical Museum: http://www.shm.ru/vistavki/n&a.htm. There you can familiarize with details of the exhibition's extensive subject catalogue, which also can be purchased at the State Historical Museum.
Poliakov Oleg
