Online-catalogue presents unique collection of Buddhistic sculpture from Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) RAS – collection number № 5942. Buddhistic collections were among the first collections of Peter’s the Great Kunstkamera. Modern Buddhistic corpus of the MAE rates justly not only the first Buddhistic collection in Russia, but one of the first ones in the world. It is distinct in wide geographic and chronological diapason, it includes different types of paintings, cloths, religious attributes of many peoples of the world. Sculptures hold a special place in it. The catalogue is dedicated to the research of the MAE’ collection № 5942, which includes over 360 pieces of Buddhistic sculpture. Being delivered to the Museum in 1950 without any accompanying information, for years they stayed nameless and were described in museum documentation as “deities” and “figurines”. The catalogue presents the results of integrated long-term work of research group on attribution of Buddhistic sculpture from the collection № 5942: place and time were determined, the Buddhistic pantheon personages represented in the sculpture were specified. The Project was fulfilled with participation of the State Research Institute of Restoration, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (Moscow). MAE RAS express gratitude to the experts of the State Hermitage for consultation and participation in the project: M.L. Menshikova – senior researcher, curator of Chinese applied art collection and K.F. Samosyuk – chief researcher, curator of Buddhistic art collection.

Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) RAS: Y.A. Kupina, Cand.Sc. (History) - project manager; E.V. Ivanova, Ph.D. (History) - author of the research; A.F. Dubrovin, Cand.Sc. (History) - author of the research; E.D. Ogneva, Cand.Sc. (History) - author of the research; A.A. Terentyev, Cand.Sc. (History) - academic adviser; N.V. Maykova - editor; D.V. Ivanov, Cand.Sc. (History) - collection custodian; L.G. Lebedeva - collection custodian; S.B. Shapiro - photo works; E.B. Tolmacheva - Cand.Sc. (History), photo works

14.03.2018