Master of Arts in Euroculture

Master Thesis

Faculty of Arts of University of Groningen, the Netherlands and

Faculty of Theology, University of Uppsala, Sweden

March 2009

"Art Mobility between Museums in Europe:

A case study of the Hermitage Amsterdam and the Guggenheim

Bilbao"

Submitted by:

Nadia Ptashchenko

University of Groningen

University of Uppsala

Date: March 15, 2009

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Table of contents

Introduction 4-6

Master Thesis Outline 7-10

Chapter One

1.1 Dutch cultural memory in St. Petersburg and reception of European cultural traditions

in St. Petersburg 11-22

1.2 History of Dutch art collecting tradition in the Hermitage 23-26

1.3 Dutch art collecting practices in the 20th century 27-30

Conclusion 31-32

Chapter Two

2.1 Development of the museum phenomenon as a forum of knowledge 33-37

2.2 Overview of the cultural policies in post-Soviet Russia 38-43

2.3. Overview of the cultural policies in the Netherlands 44-58

2.4 Dutch ­ Russian mutual cultural projects 59-66

Conclusion 67-69

Chapter Three

3.1 Cross-cultural transfers and new types of collection exchange 70-72

3.2 The "Hermitage Amsterdam" Exhibition Centre 73-80

3.3 The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao 81-88

Conclusion 89-91

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Chapter Four

4.1 Mission and modern concepts of art museums in the 21st century 92-97

4.2 Museum network as a possible model of museums development in the 21st century: the

"Bilbao effect" 98-104

4.3 The Hermitage Museum in the 21st century and the motives for the restoration of the

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam 105-108

4.4 Digitalization of art collections in the context of globalization and hybrid cultural

expressions 109-111

Conclusion 112-116

Bibliography 117-123

Annex 1 124

Annex 2 125

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Introduction

Beginning with the last decades of the 20th century it has been an unprecedented

tendency to create outposts of big museums abroad. The opening of the Hermitage-

Guggenheim Exhibition Centre in Las Vegas and the decision of creating a filial

branch of the Louvre in Abu-Dhabi in 2012 can serve as an illustrative example of this

phenomenon.

Framework of the study

The purpose of the present Master Thesis is to show that despite political, economic

and linguistic diversities that exist between the Netherlands and Russia, strong cultural

ties and cross-cultural dialogues have remained since the 18th century and are

flourishing nowadays. I will demonstrate what has been done in practice in order to

strengthen international cross-cultural bonds and to introduce foreign cultural heritage

abroad in particular.

The aim of the Master Thesis is to study the examples of museum models in the 21st

century illustrated by the case study of the Hermitage Amsterdam Complex and the

Guggenheim Bilbao Museum "satellite" museums. Taking into account the importance

and special significance of the latter, the choice of that particular case study seems

rational and illustrative. I will present the motives and goals of "expansion" tendencies

of large art museums in the Netherlands and in Spain. I will elaborate on difference in

motives beyond the opening of museums′ outposts by Russian and by American

museums in the European Union. What are the crucial steps the museum authorities

tend to undertake in order to safeguard and promote the art Europe-wide?

One of the aims of the research is to demonstrate that art which has been broadly

studied from divergent viewpoints of style, content, iconography, philosophy, and the

social sciences, can also be approached as a function of economic and socio-political

motives. I will point out how art mobility is connected to the present area of

globalization. In my Master Thesis I will explore the following question:

"Can the creation of museum "satellites" abroad be seen as the future model of

museums′ development?"

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In order to address this question the present paper is structured around four chapters. In

the beginning of the Master Thesis I explore the notion of European museum and

important features of Russian and Dutch cultural policies. Further on, I narrow down

my research of art mobility by using the case of museum "satellites" created by the

Hermitage and Guggenheim networks. Finally, I describe main principles of museum

expansion under the challenges of modern times in order to identify possible museum

models.

Research method

The research is mainly based on use of the qualitative method in order to follow the

origins and the development of the Dutch-Russian cross-cultural dialogue and to reveal

its significance on the Russian cultural arena throughout the centuries. A qualitative

literature research (primary and secondary sources) as well as in-depth semi-structured

expert interviews with E.V.

M.C. and S.D.

and opening speeches by museum officials and art curators (Dr. M.

P.) are integrated into the thesis. The interviews have allowed to get a better

insight into the first-hand information of what is going on "behind the scenes" in the

process of art mobility and museum cooperation.

I will study official European policy documents, treaties, acts and scholarly articles

related to the preservation, financing and promotion of museum exhibitions on the

national and international arenas (e.g.: subsidy programs, regulations, directives)

available at the Cultural Portal of the European Union1. Art gathering principles

implemented in the European and non-European states as well as contemporary

national museum policies and attitudes towards the preservation and promotion of

cultural heritage in the 20th and the 21st centuries will be studied.

Secondary data is also broadly analyzed in this study. Furthermore, the information

materials such as brochures, wall charts and publications produced by the European

Commission in the framework of the "European Agenda for Culture" are being

discussed.

1 http://ec.europa.eu/culture/portal/index_en.htm

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Primary sources:

·

Member states′ ministries websites regarding documents on objectives of

government cultural policy and the organization of the administration of culture;

·

Documents regarding the financing and development of culture authored by the

European Parliament, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Commission,

the National Arts Councils;

·

Relevant statistical analysis of the patterns of financing culture as well as the

"Eurobarometer survey series"2 on cultural values among Europeans;

·

Other relevant research reports and experts′ reviews on the investigated issues.

2 http://www.gesis.org/en/services/data/survey-data/eurobarometer/

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Master Thesis Outline

Art Mobility between Museums in Europe:

A case study of the Hermitage Amsterdam and the Guggenheim Bilbao

Chapter One

In the first chapter I will elaborate on the significance of the Dutch cultural memory in

St. Petersburg. The collecting activity by the Romanovs and by the private patrons of

St. Petersburg, directed at collecting works of art by Dutch and Flemish masters,

essentially influenced the westernization of the country from the 18th century onwards.

I will explore the reception of trans-European cultural traditions by private individuals

and by public institutions in Russia and the role the country played in the formation of

these traditions. I will consider the ways in which cross-cultural cooperation between

the two countries is being promoted and implemented nowadays.

I will describe cultural activity pursued by Peter the Great and his fondness of "all

things Dutch" in the 18th century. Then, I will move on to the full implementation of

his ideas by Catherine II and the foundation of the main museum of European art in

Russia. I will plunge into the collecting activity by Catherine II in the 19th century.

Finally, I will focus on the large acquisition of Dutch and Flemish collections by

private art collectors in Saint Petersburg since 1915 under the rule of Nicholas II and

after the Revolution.

In the second part of the Chapter I will draw a parallel between Saint-Petersburg and

Amsterdam and I will elaborate on the significance of the Dutch cultural memory in

St. Petersburg. The cultural capital of Russia still maintains clear traces of Dutch

influence and cultural heritage. The architectural image of Saint-Petersburg, the

network of rivers and channels, its proximity to the sea, the port, and even the climate

contributed to a spiritual co-ordination of St. Petersburg with Dutch cities, particularly

with Amsterdam. The Netherlands was important and interesting for Russians not only

from practical point of view, but also from an intellectual perspective, as a place where

innovative ideas flourished. Adoption of European cultural traditions by individuals

and by public institutions in Russia and the ways in which cross-cultural cooperation

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between the Netherlands and Russia is being implemented and promoted nowadays

will be taken into consideration in this chapter.

Chapter Two

In Chapter Two I will present an overview of the museum policies in post-Soviet

Russia and in the Netherlands. I will elaborate on differences in museum policy

formations in the two countries due to historical circumstances in the 20th century. I

will elaborate on the ways in which cross-cultural cooperation between the

Netherlands and Russia is being implemented nowadays. The area of study will cover

the circulation of artworks and museum collections, as well as the cooperation of

cultural and scientific institutions and foundations. The chapter will be focused on the

modern trends of cultural exchanges since the last decade of the 20th century until

present.

In recent years, several exhibitions of Russian art have been presented in Groninger

Museum3 (the Netherlands): "Russian Legends, Folk Tales and Fairy Tales" (2007-

2008), "Sergej Diaghilev. Working for Diaghilev" (2004-2005), "The Russian

Landscape" (2003-2004) and "Ilya Repin: the Secret of Russia" (2001-2002). From the

other side, an exhibition by Maurits Escher has been organized in the State Hermitage

Museum in 2003 and a series of "the Dutch Salons" cultural programs organized by

the Netherlands Institute take place several times a year in the State Hermitage

Museum on a regular basis. The Netherlands Institute4 was established in 1997 in

Saint-Petersburg and various foundations ("Mondriaan Foundation"5, "Vereiniging

Rembrandt"6), networks ("CodART"7) and projects ("Culture Program 2007-2013"8)

are working on the European and on international levels to maintain research and

cooperation between the European and non-European countries.

Chapter Three

In several member states of the EU large museums have recently been opening up

branches, satellite museums or annexes which alternatively initiate long-term

3 http://www.groningermuseum.nl/index.php?id=3366

4 http://www.nispb.ru/eng/

5 http://www.mondriaanfoundation.nl/

6 http://www.verenigingrembrandt.nl/

7 http://www.codart.nl/

8 http://www.culture.org.mt/

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cooperation with regional museums in their country. New types of collection exchange

have taken place over the past few years, alongside the traditional methods of making

loans for temporary exhibitions. London′s National Gallery and Amsterdam′s Van

Gogh Museum have had a loan exchange agreement in operation for some years.

Under this, a work of art from the permanent presentation in each of the museums is

exchanged for the period of one year. The aim of the exchange is "to strengthen and

enrich the permanent presentation in each museum"9.

The question arises: is this a new practice? What prompts museums to undertake such

initiatives? What are the possibilities and what are the drawbacks for this type of

collection mobility? In this chapter I will analyze two particular examples of the

"satellites" of big museums ­ the Hermitage Amsterdam Centre10 (2004) and the

Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao11 (1997) as the gist of my thesis.

Chapter Four

I will present a brief sketch on the art museum phenomenon and its missions. In recent

times, new types of collection exchanges and making loans for temporary exhibitions

have arisen over the past decades. Both large museums as well as small regional

museums benefit from collection and knowledge exchange. A growing number of

cross-border collaborations between international and local; large, medium-sized and

small; public museums and private collections take place in order to organize joint

exhibitions, to exchange collections, etc. To name a few: "Crossart"12 which promotes

collaboration between several museums located near the German-Netherlands border,

the "Hermitage ­ Italy Research and Cultural Centre"13 in Ferrara (2007).

Exchange of objects frequently implies an exchange of personnel and their expertise.

The Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives14 (MLA) argues that both large

museums as well as smaller regional museums benefit from collection and knowledge

exchange. I will decipher recent tendencies of museums collaboration and I will touch

upon the phenomenon of "globalisation of art" by the example of the "Museum extra

9 http://www.museumcollectionsonthemove.org/topic_b.html#een

10 http://www.hermitage.nl/en/index.htm

11 http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/?idioma=en

12 http://www.crossart-route-moderne-kunst.com/

13 http://www.shop.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/13/hm13_1_004.html

14 http://www.mla.gov.uk/home

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muros"15 policy adopted by some museum directors in recent times. Eventually, I will

speculate upon the future visions, perspectives and development of art museums and

museums′ networking in general. What is the future scenario of museum evolution?

Can the creation of museum "satellites" abroad be seen as a future model of

development of museums?

Conclusion

Living in and witnessing the times of the current geopolitical and economic global

transformations (e.g.: EU/NATO enlargement, CFSP directives and regulations, etc), it

is of a particular interest for me to observe the role of culture, cross-cultural policies,

transfers and tendencies in European museums in a socio-political context of the 21st

century.

The importance of cultural cooperation goes beyond the national interests of each

country. It becomes a priority for UNESCO, for the Council of Europe and for the

Institutions of the European Union. With support from international institutions in the

last years, private initiatives and networks were established to lobby and boost cultural

cooperation and mobility worldwide. Respectively, this facilitates the work of

"ERICarts Institute for Comparative Cultural Policy Research"16, as well as of trans-

national networks advocating the arts and culture like "Circle"17, "The European

Forum for the Arts and Heritage"18 (EFAH) and of independent international

foundations such as the European Cultural Foundation and the European Foundation

Centre. I attempt to show in the Master Thesis that through European cultural policy

programs, the cohesion that already exists with other cultural and social sectors will

increase.

15 http://www.museumcollectionsonthemove.org/topic_b.html

16 http://www.ericarts.org/web/index.php

17 http://www.circle-network.jaaz.pl/index.php?module=articles&action=view&id=145

18 http://www.efah.org/

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