Parlamentskaya Gazeta
Exhibition of Russian Painting from Serbian Collector Pesic Opens in Paris
20 May 2026, 23:17
By Ilya Sokolnikas, Belgrade
On May 20, the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris hosted the grand opening of the exhibition “The Splendor of Russian Painting of the 19th–20th Centuries. Masterpieces from the Collection of Vladimir Pesic.” According to the exhibition organizers, who spoke to Parliamentary Gazette, the exhibition became a genuine revelation for the Parisian public and a major event in the cultural life of the French capital.
At a time when a ban on the temporary export of museum exhibits from Russia has been in force since 2022, the collection of Serbian collector Vladimir Pesic has provided a unique opportunity to present Russian art to the world.
“The exhibition is conceived as a visual journey through 150 years of Russian art history, during which visitors will be able to discover twelve movements of Russian painting from the 19th and 20th centuries,” Pesic noted in his opening remarks. The collector particularly emphasized that all the paintings are being shown to the public for the first time.
Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov highlighted the exceptional cultural significance of the exhibition at a moment when the international display of works from Russian museum collections is severely restricted.
“Acquaintance with Vladimir Pesic’s collection will allow viewers not only to appreciate Russia’s artistic heritage, but also to gain a deeper sense of the character and destiny of Russia, which will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the cultural and humanitarian ties between the peoples of Russia and France,” stated the head of the Russian diplomatic mission in Paris.
The choice of venue for presenting this unique collection was far from accidental, since Russian art has always been especially highly valued in France.
“For many decades, French and Russian cultures developed through mutual dialogue, complementing and enriching one another. That is why the situation that has emerged in recent years, when cultural exchange between Russia and France has been completely suspended, is particularly regrettable,” Pesic observed.
At the same time, the collector expressed hope that the exhibition would remind visitors that art has always been, and remains, a space for dialogue capable of connecting countries and peoples across time and historical trials.
“After all, the most significant thing that remains after us is art,” he concluded.
About the Exhibition
The exhibition offers visitors a large-scale journey through the key movements of Russian art. It has not only a cultural but also an educational character. The paintings on display introduce the public not only to various trends in Russian art, but also to important moments in Russian history.
The symbol of the exhibition is the painting “Shining Domes”, considered the most significant work of Grand Duchess Olga Romanova, sister of Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The church depicted by Romanova, with its blue domes shining in the sunlight, echoes the architecture of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Paris, where the exhibition is being held.
The history and character of the Russian people are reflected in the realist paintings “Little Russian” by Vladimir Makovsky and the watercolor “Portrait of a Russian Peasant” by Nikolai Zagorsky, both filled with attention to the individual and his inner dignity.
One of the central places in the exhibition is occupied by “Struggle of Ideologies”, painted by the founder of Constructivism, Vladimir Tatlin.
The final touch of the exhibition is the latest-created work on display, “Saint George and the Dragon”, painted in 1982 by one of the key representatives of Soviet nonconformism, Anatoly Zverev, whom Pablo Picasso called “the best Russian draughtsman.”