The name of Alexander Benois di Stetto (1896-1979), a member of the famous artistic dynasty of Benois - Serebryakov - Lanceray, was not widely known among the general public until quite recently. Eight years ago the Russian Museum initiated the Alexander Benois di Stetto: Return to Russia exhibition project, which contributed to the remembrance of this spectacular representative of Benois family and his impact to Russian and European art and culture at the turn of the 20th century. The Flowers and Still Lifes of Alexander Benois di Stetto exhibition at the State Russian Museum is the conclusive part of the project, which included 49 exhibitions in the different cities of Russia. This year the jubilee exhibition will become part of the 7th Traditional festival of Imperial Gardens of Russia and will be one of the main projects of the UK-Russia Year of Culture 2014.
In his artistic works Alexander Benois di Stetto endeavors to seize the subtle impressions of nature with the means of a still life. The sweet freshness of daffodils and tulips, the intoxicating beauty of roses, the fragility of lilies-of-the-valley, the magnificent charm of peonies, the exotic delicacy of Asiatic lilies and hyacinths - this whole world of joy and light sparkles with deep colours and chiaroscuro effects in the still lifes of Alexander Benois di Stetto.
The exhibition, held in the Garden Vestibule of the Mikhailovsky Palace, contains selected canvases by Kuindzhi dedicated to nature in Crimea.
The exhibition in the Garden Vestibule presents the only portrait Karl Bryullov had ever painted of the members of the imperial family — the portrait of Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I, and the story behind it.