The online journal “Fenêtre sur la Russie” (Gateway to Russia)
Fenêtre sur la Russie (Gateway to Russia)
The Pesic Collection: A Visual Journey Through 150 Years of Russian Art History at the Russian Center in Paris
May 17, 2026
From May 20 to June 30, on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center on Quai Branly invites all art lovers to attend the exhibition “The Splendor of Russian Painting of the 19th–20th Centuries. Masterpieces from the Collection of Vladimir Pesic”. This unique cultural event will transform the Center’s galleries into the only place in the world where, in these challenging times, visitors can admire original works by great Russian painters, as Russia has prohibited the temporary export of museum treasures since 2022.
Over nearly forty years of collecting art, Vladimir Pesic has assembled a collection worthy of the finest museums. This achievement has been made possible by his impeccable taste, keen eye for genuine artistic value, and meticulous research. Many of the works in his collection were sought out and acquired over the course of many years.
The exhibition at the Russian Center will present Parisian audiences with 18 works from the collector’s holdings, inviting visitors on a visual journey through 150 years of Russian art history—from Realism to Expressionism, passing through Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Art Nouveau, the Neo-Russian style, Cubism, Cubo-Futurism, Suprematism, Constructivism, Socialist Realism, and Nonconformist art.
By contemplating these masterpieces, French visitors will also gain a deeper understanding of Russian history through some of its defining episodes. It is therefore no surprise that, in terms of its scope and significance, the exhibition on Quai Branly can be compared to the landmark exhibition The Morozov Collection: Icons of Modern Art, presented at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in 2021–2022.
The emblem of the exhibition will be Shining Domes by Grand Duchess Olga Romanova, sister of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. In this painting, she depicts a winter landscape featuring a church crowned with blue domes sparkling in the sunlight, echoing the cupolas of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Center in Paris.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to admire works by the master of genre painting Vladimir Makovsky, whose art vividly reflects the national character of the Russian people; lyrical landscapes by the Russian Impressionist Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky; and masterpieces by Vladimir Tatlin, the founder of Russian Constructivism.
The exhibition will be open daily from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Free enter with registration.
