Furniture in the collection of the Decorative and Applied Arts Museum in Moscow

When I traveled to Russia several years ago, one of my favorite museums was the “All Russian Decorative-Applied and Folk Arts Museum” in Moscow. The museum, in its present state, was opened in August 1999 and is the only museum of its kind in Russia, housing a wonderful collection of 18th – 20th century decorative arts including porcelain, glass, furniture, silver, fashion and textiles. As the museum is a combination of several collections, their holdings of Russian folk art and Soviet porcelain is unparalleled.

Additionally on view are traditional Russian toys and hand-painted lacquer boxes. All in all, for someone interested in the decorative arts, and even simply in Russian culture, this museum is a wonderful resource. While I pride myself on being knowledgeable about Russian decorative arts, most of the artists’ names that I encountered there were a discovery for me. I was amazed by the level of skill and craftsmanship and found the designs to be so unique and interesting. Take a look for yourselves…

Suite of Furniture in the Neo-Russian style, similar to the work of S.V Malutin, completed in 1900-1906, in furniture workshops located in Moscow. Objects and Furniture from the Workshops at Talashkino, ca. 1903-1905. Ceramic Tiles on Fireplace after a design by Mikhail Alexandrovitch Vrubel, 1899-1900.

For more information on the All Russian Decorative-Applied and Folk Arts Museum in Moscow, visit their website: http://www.russianmuseums.info/M276 and if you read Russian, the official site is http://www.vmdpni.ru/