Pavlovsk

In large format with many illustrations the authors display the works of one of Europe's major palace-museums and provide succinct scholarly histories of each division of the museums' collections. Especially informative are the details on the many Western European and Russian artists who designed the works in the collections. Important in museology is the tale of the survival of Pavlovsk and its collections through the upheaval of revolution and the cataclysm of war, which marks a triumph for the curators, artists, architects, and scholars whose work made it possible to rebuild the palace and the collections. The design uses two-page spreads to present an interior: the works of fine and decorative art in the rooms for which they were chosen demonstrate the harmony of the architecture and interior design. Chapters cover Russian and Western European furniture; Russian and Western European porcelain and art glass; works in bronze, gemstones, amber, and ivory; the treasure trove; textiles and costume; painting and drawing; prints, lithographs, and rare books. -- Summary written by John W. Emerich, Bronze Horseman Literary Agency.