Ivan Sautov

MASTERPIECES REBORN

I. SAUTOV
THE REBIRTH OF THE AMBER ROOM

№1 2003 (01)

FOR MORE THAN THREE CENTURIES THE AMBER ROOM, A MASTERPIECE OF DECORATIVE APPLIED ART, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF FASCINATION FOR EUROPE, AND REMAINS A UNIQUE PHENOMENON INDEED – SINCE NOBODY HAS SEEN IT FOR ALMOST SIXTY YEARS. ITS HISTORY IS RICH IN ASSOCIATION: FROM THE GREAT PLANS OF PRUSSIAN KINGS TO THE DEVOTION OF RUSSIAN EMPRESSES, FROM THE LOOTING OF THE FASCIST INVADERS TO THE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, CONTINUING THROUGH UNTIL TODAY, TO LOCATE IT. MAY 2003 MARKED ANOTHER STEP IN ITS HISTORY, WITH THE RESTORATION AND OPENING OF THE CEREMONIAL HALL OF RASTRELLI ’S GOLDEN ENF ILADE, THE AMBER ROOM OF THE CATHERINE PALACE IN TSARSKOYE SELO – A ROYAL GIFT INDEED TO MARK THE CELEBRATION OF ST.PETERSBURG’S TERCENTENARY.