Alexandre Benois (1870-1960) is the founder of artistic movement 'Mir Iskusstva', passionate critic, historian and art-enthusiast, he also worked in museum, was a decorator, director and librettist, editor and author of articles, monographs and his own memoirs. But somehow throughout this endless list of occupations his achievements as an artist are underestimated.

100 artworks is a very figurative number. Benois painted every day as a consequence of his cultural habits. This number was chosen to develop the main idea of the exhibition — to introduce Benois as a skillful artist, craftsman of the brush.

His diaries of the period from 1925 to 1950 were also presented. They consist of 106 copybooks and are a historical discovery themselves. His judgments are incredibly interesting, his thoughtful and intellectual mind witnessed and estimated cultural and historical events of quarter of the century.

Curator
Natalia Kournikova

Translated by
Polina Vologdina