The magnificent portrait of Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, on loan from the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, was inaugurated with much fanfare at the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve in Moscow. This painting is the focus of an important one-piece exhibition.

The portrait in oils, executed in 1787 by Dmitri Grigorevich Levitzky (1735-1822), considered by many to have been Russia’s most important painters of ceremonial portraits, recently underwent conservation and restoration by Amy Sciberras, on behalf of Heritage Malta.

It seems that this portrait by Levitzky from the Maltese national collection was commissioned by Empress Catherine herself in an exchange of diplomatic gifts with Grand Master de Rohan. It had travelled by sea all the way from Russia and arrived in Malta in 1790.

This brilliant portrait by Levitzky from the Maltese national collection was commissioned by Empress Catherine herself in an exchange of diplomatic gifts with Grand Master de Rohan

Exhibitions manager Pierre Bonello, curator Lyudmila Alekseevna Markina, coordinator Nina Mochalova and Ms Sciberras at the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve in Moscow, following the unpacking and installation of the painting of Catherine the Great.

Two hundred and thirty years later, this portrait is making a brief visit to Moscow (until January 2020) to celebrate two major anniversaries: 290 years since the birth of Empress Catherine II and 250 years since the establishment of the Imperial Military Order of St George. On the day of the inauguration of this one-piece temporary exhibition, Ms Sciberras delivered a lecture at the Tsaritsyno Palace Museum on the conservation and restoration treatments employed on this portrait.

This was followed by the inauguration of this historical one-piece exhibition, for which were present Ambassador Pierre Clive Agius, who has supported the project at all stages of its implementation; the honorary consul Oleg Zaitsev, who has made possible the publication entitled Malta’s Portrait of Catherine the Great; Foreign Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela; curator of the exhibition, Lyudmila Alekseevna Markina; coordinator Nina Mochalova; museum CEO Elizaveta Fokina and Ms Sciberras; and representatives from Corinthia Hotels who have generously supported the restoration.

The exhibition runs until January 12.

Ambassador Pierre Clive Agius talking with Ms Sciberras.